All That Remains
by erinyoukai
Summary: After somehow losing all of her memories, Amy, as she now calls herself, tries to pick up what's left of her life while attending Sweet Amoris High. Whether she finds family, friendship, or even love, she must try her hardest to push forward and forge herself anew.
1. Prologue: And So It Begins

**Author's Note:** Hello, everyone. I am erinyoukai/Ariana, and I would like to welcome you to my first fanfic that has been posted on this site! Right now, I do not have any official pairings for this fanfic, as I'm just letting my writing take me in its own direction. Please note that this is supposed to be AU, so the events that happen in game will more than likely not happen in here. Obviously, I do not own MCL and affiliated content, but Amy is my own original character. Feel free to check out my profile page on here or on MCL: my username is erinyoukai on there as well, so finding me shouldn't be difficult. Like mentioned on said profile page, if you would like to see one of your OCs appear in this fanfic, please just send me a pm on here or on MCL so we can work out the details. In any case, I hope that you enjoy my work and take the time to review it! Until next time!

**Summary:** After somehow losing all of her memories, Amy, as she now calls herself, tries to pick up what's left of her life while attending Sweet Amoris High. Whether she finds family, friendship, or even love, she must try her hardest to push forward and forge new memories.

* * *

**Prologue: And So It Begins**

"Hey, are you okay?"

I awaken to a voice from above me. Everything hurts, my head, my body. I'm cold. Everything is so cold. I try to open my eyes.

"Wait, she's actually alive?! I'll call an ambulance!" I hear another voice, this one more distant shout.

A man is knelt down next to me. He pulls me into his lap and tries to warm me up. On his jacket there is a badge that says "Officer Findlay".

"Everything is going to be all right, young lady," he tells me. "My name is Officer Oliver Findlay, and I'm with the local police. We're going to get you to a hospital and get you all fixed up. What's your name?"

A name? I can't think of one. Something to call myself? I search through my mind. It doesn't cooperate. Who am I? What am I doing here?

"Hey, Ollie, the ambulance is here!"

I see other people. They are running up to me. I feel dizzy. What's going on? How did I get here? Flashing lights make my head hurt more. A loud wail pierces the night air. Overwhelmed, I give in to the darkness.

* * *

When I next wake up, I am surrounded by white. Consistent beeping comes from several machines at my side. A large number of wires connect me to them. With each loud beep, I can hear my life resonating within the room.

"Ah, you're awake!" a woman with pretty brown hair exclaims upon entering my room, a clipboard in hand.

"Um... not to be rude, but who are you and where am I?" I ask as I try to sit up.

"Hey, don't over stress yourself!" she rushes over to me and helps me up. "Just ask if you need assistance. You've seemingly been through a lot, and the cops probably will want to talk to you before you fall back asleep. Anyways, my name is Christy, and I'm your assigned nurse. As for where you are,you're currently in the Amoris Hospital."

"Amoris Hospital?" I try to remember if I know of such a place when Christy interrupts my train of thought.

"Does it not ring a bell? Well, that's not surprising. The doctors say that you suffered quite a bit of trauma to your entire body, including your head. I'd believe it too, considering how much you were bleeding when you first got here. What about your name? Do you remember that much?"

I go through my mind again, desperately searching for one, but find nothing there. I sigh, "I'm sorry."

She frowns and writes something down on her clipboard. "Well, it appears that you have a severe case of amnesia. Tell you what: I'll go talk to the cops so that way they won't bother you and you just concentrate on getting yourself all healed up, all right?"

"Okay," I agree and lie back down on the bed, contemplating my fate.

* * *

A week passes, and I settle into a usual routine at the hospital. Christy wakes me up at six to check vitals, take medicine, take tests, get me bathed and dressed, and she then escorts me back to my room so I can have breakfast. After that, I attend therapy sessions to try to help me regain my memories and to get me reeducated on society. By the time I finish up and return to my room again, it is lunchtime. Once lunchtime ends, it's back to checking vitals, taking medicine, and taking tests before dinner rolls around. It's only after dinner that I get to choose what it is I want to do, which is generally to watch television or read until bedtime, as it helps me with the 'reeducation of society' part of therapy. All in all, it's pretty boring, but necessary if I want to leave the hospital, from what Christy says.

Today, however, I am in the middle of eating breakfast when officers Findlay and Jacobsen come in. As the patrol squad who found me, they were given charge of my case. Findlay is a kind, middle aged man who I apparently remind of his daughter. As for Jacobsen, his partner, she is, well, not unkind, but more... to the point?

"You seem to be doing well," she comments as she flings open the door.

Officer Findlay follows behind her and greets me, "Good morning, Jane. How are you doing today?" Like all other unidentified women, I have been given the title of 'Jane Doe' by the police upon the realization that I had amnesia and couldn't tell them who I was. It isn't much of a name, but it is all I have to go by.

"Good morning, Officer Jacobsen, Officer Findlay. I'm feeling much better today, thank you," I smile at them before asking what I really want to know. "So, any new leads on my case?"

One of the first features that the police had noticed about me were my eyes. They are naturally a deep crimson color, much like my blood that had stained the otherwise pristine white dress I had been wearing the night that they found me. Since neither they nor anyone else at the precinct could recall seeing anyone matching my description around town as well as the fact that I had been found at the side of a road, they proceeded to rule out Amoris as my hometown and started asking around at towns that are nearby. However, I could tell just by looking at the sudden sternness of Officer Jacobsen and the crestfallen face of Officer Findlay that they must not have been successful in finding anything.

"We're... still looking," Findlay tries to reassure me, but I can't help but let my disappointment show.

"Don't look like that," Jacobsen snaps at me. "I know that you're upset, and you do have the right to be so, but you've got to think about the here and now. You're doing much better physically, or so the doctors tell us, and the therapists say that you are fit to reenter society, so it is time for you to do so."

"Wait, what?" I feel myself go pale as my attention goes to her. How can I reenter society if I don't know who I am and have no place to go?

"Well, we were hoping to find your family so that way you could recover at their side, but as we couldn't find them..." Findlay breaks off in mid sentence, as though he doesn't know how to tell me the rest.

"What he means is that under normal circumstances, we would release you into the custody of your family so that they might help you regain your memories, but since we have been unable to determine who they are, we found someone else who could take care of you while ensuring that you attend school like a normal teenage girl. Of course, it has to be someone we know well enough to entrust you with them, so we have only one option," Jacobsen explains while motioning towards someone who must have been standing just outside my door.

A woman prances in, and I can't help but stare. Her bright magenta hair is tied back in a loose braid, and a golden crown sits on top of her head. She has on a blue dress that can only be described as some kind of costume which is coupled a blue choker with a pink heart to match both the dress and her hair. However, the thing that shocks me the most is that on her back are three pairs of gossamer wings that appear rather like that of a dragonfly.

"Oh, you are just too cute!" she squeals as she twirls over to me and pulls me into a tight hug.

"Ahem," Jacobsen clears her throat. "Jane, this is Agatha. As of today, she is to be your legal guardian until you either regain your memories or until you are at the age of which you attend college."

I feel that the expression on my face must have turned to a look of horror, but thankfully, Agatha does not see this as she grumbles, "Jane? That's what you call her? That's not a name, that's the title you gave her!"

Officer Findlay, noticing my discomfort, mouths the words 'I'm sorry' to me before saying to Agatha, "Well, as you are her legal guardian now, you can change her name on the records for enrollment here, though the official records at the precinct will still read that she is 'Jane Doe'."

"So, sweetie, how about it? Is there any name in particular that you want to have?" she turns back to me, her pink eyes sparkling with utter excitement. "This is your chance, you know, to be named anything that you've ever dreamed of being named!"

I try to come up with something unique, but my mind keeps going back to a name in a book that I had just finished reading. "If, you don't mind, call me Amy?"

"Amy? All right then," Agatha pulls out a blue feather quill from somewhere in her dress and proceeds to fill out the papers for enrollment in glittery pink ink. "There, all finished! Is that all you two needed?"

"Yes, and now that everything has been settled and her discharge is complete, we shall take our leave," Jacobsen takes the papers back and heads off without saying a proper goodbye.

"If you need anything, we'll be sure to stop by in a few days to see how you're adjusting, Amy, so we can discuss things more then," Findlay offers. "Of course, if you need us sooner than that, don't hesitate to drop by our station."

After the two of them leave, Agatha retrieves the dress that I had been wearing upon admittance from a laundry bag hanging on a hook on the wall and hands it to me. "Here you go, Amy! Since you're being discharged to the outside world and they managed to bleach the blood out, you might as well have something that isn't a hospital gown to wear while we go shopping!"

"We're going shopping, Agatha?" I had just been getting used to being around a few people at a time. Wouldn't going shopping put me in a large crowd? I don't really feel comfortable with the idea of being in the midst of so many individuals while I still don't know who I truly am.

"But of course, darling! After all, you'll need a nice wardrobe if you're going to be attending school, right? Oh, and you don't have to call me Agatha, just Auntie or Tata will do!"

"Um, okay, Tata. Just so you know though, I'm not sure I like the idea of being around so many people at once..." I start to explain.

"Don't worry about it!" she exclaims. "I'm just taking you to Leigh's shop! I'm sure it won't be as busy, especially when most people your age are in class right now! Just get yourself dressed properly so we can go!"


	2. Chapter 1: Learning to Live

**Author's Note:** Well, I wasn't sure if I would have this finished and up today, but it looks like I had enough spare time to work with. Pairings are still not set, and I am curious to know what each of you thinks about that, as well as what pairing/pairings you personally support. To rephrase that last part, the question is not 'who would you like Amy paired with,' but 'which boy(s) from the game do you like the most'. I would like to conclude with a thank you to all those who read this, with a special thanks going out to Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy, exactlyamanda, and an unknown guest for providing feedback via reviews, as without such, I could not make this story more enjoyable for all of you out there. Like before, please do not hesitate to review, and I do not own MCL or affiliated characters/settings. Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to readers who celebrate it!

**Summary/Recap: **After somehow losing all of her memories, Amy, as she now calls herself, tries to pick up what's left of her life while attending Sweet Amoris High. Whether she finds family, friendship, or even love, she must try her hardest to push forward and forge new memories. In the last chapter, Amy had just been found by the police and after a week of recovering in the hospital was released into the custody of an oddly whimsical woman, who prefers to be known as either Auntie or Tata, rather than her real name of Agatha.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Learning to Live**

As per Tata's request, I quickly get changed back into the dress I had been wearing when I was found and the two of us leave the building. I freeze for a moment upon exiting, taking in everything around me. The sky is so many shades of blue, and the air that lightly caresses my cheeks is slightly warm, yet it is a welcome change from the intense heat of the over-zealous sun. Experiencing this is such a change from the sterile harshness of the hospital, and I feel for the first time since waking up that it is a good thing to be alive.

"Earth to Amy!" Tata's singsong voice rings in my ears. "Are you still coming, or are you just going to stand there and let the wind carry you off to some unknown adventure?"

"Ah, I-I'm sorry, I was just enjoying being outdoors," I manage to stammer out. How I am supposed to get used to her as my caretaker, I really do not know. "D-don't worry, I'm still going shopping with you."

"Awww, that's a shame," she pouts. "And here I thought I might be able to follow you onto a heroic quest for true love!"

"T-t-true love?!" I start. At this point, I'd be happy if romance was the least of my problems, and from the education I have been getting up until this point, it seems to cause no end of trouble!

"Yes, sugar, true love: the most beautiful thing on the face of the planet," Tata sighs as a dreamy expression spreads across the pixie-like features of her face. Just the idea of love itself seems to be enough to entrance her as she continues, "And trust me, if you need any help getting the man of your dreams, I'll be right there with you to fight at your side!"

With the amount of emotion that she put into her words, I really don't know what to say without bursting her bubble, so I only reply, "Thank you, Tata."

"You're welcome, dearie," Tata beams as she stops in front of a car.

I stare at the Volkswagen Beetle in front of me that Tata is currently unlocking, my eyes slightly twitching while taking in the vibrant pink color as well as the custom light blue swirls on the sides of it. This is most definitely her vehicle, as though I do not really know anyone, especially anyone from this outside world, I am almost positive that she is the only one who would ever drive this thing. In any case, after she finishes fumbling with the keys to get them in the lock properly, the two of us get in and head off towards the store.

During the car ride, I gaze outside, trying to not miss anything in these unfamiliar surroundings while Tata started humming some tune or another. However, something had been bothering me this entire time, and I am really curious on how she might answer the question I have, so I turn to face her, asking, "So, um, Tata, may I ask you a question?"

"Isn't that a question right there?" she giggles as I feel my cheeks heat up. "Oh, don't worry, I only jest! You may ask me whatever you like!"

"Okay then... I don't mean to offend, but um, why are you dressed like that?" I quickly state my question before turning right back around to gaze out the window as though I had asked her something that was taboo.

"Dressed like - Oh! You mean, why am I dressed like a fairy?" Tata, instead of appearing angry like I imagined she might be, is seemingly overjoyed at the idea that I would take an interest in her attire. "Well, I've pretty much adopted you, and I thought you might want a real fairy godmother like in the children's tales! You know, I've always wanted a younger female relative that I could take under my wing, pamper, and watch fall in love with a prince, and now that you're here, this is my chance!"

After hearing her explanation, I can't help but feel bad for misconstruing her intentions on something that is supposed to make me happy and cheer me up from being overwhelmed by the thought of losing my memories and being alone in a strange city with strangers that I have no idea of how to interact with. Tata so far has only been kind to me and thinking about my well being, while I have been questioning her actions and acting in the only way that I had been taught by the therapist: observe and draw conclusions. How would I have handled Tata if I was who I used to be before I wound up here?

As if reading my mind, Tata consoles me, her tone actually becoming more serious. "You know, Amy, you may be over-thinking things. Don't worry about who you were before you came here and what kind of life you might have led. If you live in the past, you'll miss the present day events that are staring you right in the face. I read the file that the therapists had on you, and it seems as though they have told you to take in every last little thing and then formulate an opinion. However, that's not all there is to living as yourself."

I am about to ask what else is there to living as yourself when the car comes to a stop in front of a rather small looking boutique.

"Well, this is our stop, sweetie," Tata's cheery demeanor slides right back into place as we arrive. As we get out of the car, I look over the store and notice several different designs on the mannequins in the windows and start to feel like a fish out of water again.

"Tata... how am I supposed to choose something from all these styles?" I back away slowly, hoping that maybe I could find some place where I could just sit down and try to remember something - anything from my past. However, as I step backwards, I feel myself collide with someone, falling back on them and knocking them over.

"Hey, watch where you're going!"

I get up off the ground and find a girl about my age with beautiful, alabaster hair and golden eyes dusting off the classy looking dress she is wearing. She is scowling and I offer her a hand to help her to her feet. "I-I'm so sorry," I bow my head slightly out of respect and apology. "You're right, I really should watch where I'm going."

The girl with bewitching beauty takes my hand and gets back on her feet. "Huh, I don't believe I've seen you around town before. You don't go to Sweet Amoris High, do you?"

"Ah, Rosalya! It's so wonderful to see you again!" Tata shrieks as she traipses over to see what the commotion is about. "I see that you've met Amy. Poor girl was found at the side of the road without her memories, you know, so the police asked me if I could take her in once she recovered physically. She'll be joining you at the high school tomorrow, so we decided to drop by Leigh's in order to buy her a nice set of clothes for the occasion!"

Rosalya's expression changes first to one of shock, and then to sympathy upon realizing I have literally no recollection of anything. I feel slightly uncomfortable about someone knowing my condition, so I speak up, "Um, Rosalya, it's a pleasure to meet you, but if you could p-please keep my amnesia a secret at school, I would be really grateful."

"I'm sorry, Amy! I didn't realize you didn't want people knowing!" Tata pulls me into a tight embrace, and I see what appears to be tears glimmering in her normally twinkling eyes. "Can you ever forgive your careless Auntie?"

"D-don't worry about it," I tell her as the awkwardness of her behavior in front of one of my soon-to-be classmates sets in. "I didn't really make myself clear upon the matter, so don't blame yourself."

"Anyways..." Rosalya begins. "It's nice to meet you as well, Amy. However, when it comes to keeping your amnesia a secret, I'm going to have to ask you for something in return, all right?"

My mind races, wondering what it might be that she'll ask of me. She is grinning, much like I imagine a cat would when it has just cornered a frightened mouse. She seems to be a pleasant girl so far, but I wonder what truly lies beneath her beauty: whether her personality is also beautiful or if she has something in mind to use me for her own whims. Would I be the former or the latter? I desperately hope the former, though judging by the material of some of the books I had read, people tend to be the latter. With all the cruelty of the world, perhaps my case of losing everything at the side of a street is for the better. This girl before me, Rosalya, like everyone else that I will meet while I stay here in Amoris, knows who she is deep inside, though not everyone might know the real her. After all, from what I had learned while in the hospital, society forces the everyday person into a role, a standard that they must fall into in order to cope with the stress of living. This persona that an individual must take on may or may not be like his or her most true self, which is something that I, as an amnesiac, do not have to worry about. I have a new beginning, a new life that is mine to make of it, and despite what society may tell everyone else, I can be the person I wish to be, as I cannot remember my true self. Perhaps this is what Tata was about to tell me beforehand. Though I know nothing about myself, could it be that I am the lucky one, as having nothing to go on makes me a blank slate where there are boundless possibilities as to what I might become? By observing others around me, I can make the choice on what type of person I want to live as and how I wish to be perceived as. In this case, regardless of what Rosalya might be like, should I not just try to at least get to know her, so that I might learn more about myself as a person as well as her feelings and emotions? Because of my new revelation, I approve of her request with a simple, "Okay. I understand. What is it that you want?"

Her smile suddenly seems kinder, like a ray of sunshine peeking through the clouds after a harsh storm, as she replies, "Well, if at all possible... could I please help pick out your new clothes?"

* * *

After an hour or three of battling our way through the entirety of the clothing selection, Rosalya and I have finally finished picking out everything that I want to get for right now, most of the articles being dresses.

"You look really good in dresses, you know?" Rosalya compliments me. "You mentioned that the dress you're wearing now is what they found you in, right?"

"Yeah, it is," I respond. Since Rosalya already found out about my condition, while we were picking things out for me to try on, I filled her in everything that the police had told me, as well as my anxieties about being in the midst of large groups of people in the hallways of high school. She had reassured me that she would help me find my place there as best as she could and that she would introduce me to her friends, so that I might be able to learn from them as well while having support as a new student. Because of our discussion, I found that I was no longer nervous about talking with her and that she might be the first person I could call a 'friend'. Elaborating on before, I say, "This dress and these lace-up sandals, alongside my undergarments are the only things that the police found on me: no accessories, no purse, no ID."

"Hmm... I bet that you were either out on the town, on a date, or that you just knew how marvelous you look in dresses then," Rosalya muses. "But even now, I think that this style of wearing dresses suits you well."

"Thank you," I give her a soft smile. "I think I feel most comfortable wearing them, as well, which is why I asked you to help me choose between so many."

"You're most welcome. I'm glad that I was of some help in getting you situated with your fashion sense," she takes some of the clothing that I was carrying and starts heading towards the counter, where Tata had said she'd meet with us to pay for what we had found.

The two of us arrive at the counter, where there is a man with stylish black hair and an outfit that is best described as a costume not unlike those from programs I had seen while in the hospital where the setting was the 1800's or earlier, standing at the cash register.

"Will that be everything for... Rosalya! I didn't think that you would be here so early!" the man's face lights up upon noticing my friend next to me.

"Hello, Leigh. The teachers let all of us out early to work on our individualized projects. I would've come up to chat with you sooner, but I ran into this one here just outside the store," Rosalya gestures towards me. "This is Amy, by the way. She's transferring to Sweet Amoris High after being adopted by Auntie here. Amy, this is Leigh, the store owner and my darling boyfriend."

At first, I am caught off guard by Rosalya referring to Tata as 'Auntie', but I come to the conclusion that she probably tells everyone to call her by that. The next thing that surprises me is the revelation that Leigh is Rosalya's boyfriend, though I suppose it makes sense then as to why she was headed here, since she hadn't picked out any clothes for herself while we were looking, making me curious.

"It's nice to meet you, Leigh," I acknowledge him while nodding my head.

"The pleasure's all mine," he answers while starting to ring up the different garments. "It's different to see Rosalya hanging around a girl, but I do hope you two will be good friends."

"Aww, I'm sure she and I will get along just great!" Rosalya chimes in as Leigh finishes entering all the clothing and Tata pays for them. "Well, I'll see you at school tomorrow, okay?"

Tata and I bid them both farewell before heading back to the car, burdened by the weight of so many bags. That night, as I slip into the depths of dreamland within the comfort of my new bed, I think back on today and the people I've just met. Anxious for tomorrow, I just pray to whoever that might be listening that everything goes well.


	3. Chapter 2: First Day Madness, Part One

**Summary/Recap:** After somehow losing all of her memories, Amy, as she now calls herself, tries to pick up what's left of her life while attending Sweet Amoris High. Whether she finds family, friendship, or even love, she must try her hardest to push forward and forge new memories. In the last chapter, Amy met Rosalya, her first friend, shortly after arriving at Leigh's store, and together, the two of them went shopping for Amy's new attire. Upon checking out, Amy met Leigh, who Rosalya introduced as her boyfriend.

* * *

**Chapter 2: First Day Madness, Part One**

Perhaps staying up all night long was a bad idea. I rub my eyes and manage to stifle a yawn before somehow managing to decipher the curlicued scribble that was Tata's handwriting on a glittery piece of stationary with the words 'A Message from Your Fairy Godmother' etched across the top. She had told me early this morning before dropping me off at the dreaded location known as high school that it was important that I do every item on the list:

_1) Finish up your registration._

_2) Make sure you find where all your classes will be._

_3) Be nice to your teachers, though I don't think you'll have a problem with this, cupcake._

_4) Get to know your classmates - make friends that you can rely on._

_5) Smile - it'll attract the boys._

As I read the last two items on the list, a sense of apprehension rushes over me like a wave over sand. Befriending Rosalya was one thing: she's a girl around my age and we were one on one in a nice, open space. Perhaps trying to befriend another girl wouldn't be too difficult, though from all the media that I had seen before, women tend to be more superficial and are more likely to stab each other in the back, though whether this 'stabbing in the back' was literal or not I had not found out. Rosalya didn't seem to me like that type of girl, but since she's only one young woman, she could just be one of the only exceptions. On the contrary, if events would turn to getting to know a guy, well, the only one I have talked to at great length was Officer Findlay, and of course, he's much older for one, and two, with a daughter around my age, he knows how the female mind works and can offer intelligent conversation that shows comprehension of female physiology. With the only other individual of the opposite gender that I've even met being Leigh, and even he being older, the idea of just meeting a guy my age sends my mind into overload.

I see a group of three girls strutting down the hallway like they own the place. The one at the left is Asian, with straight, jet black hair, dark eyes, and wearing a vivid red stylized version of a cheongsam and ankle high black boots. She has out a compact mirror and appears to be making sure her makeup has been properly applied. In contrast, the one on the right seems more bookish, with light brown hair pulled back in a tight ponytail and matching eyes scanning through a pink notebook she is carrying. Her outfit consists of a long sleeved brown shirt, green vest, a green pencil skirt, neutral colored pantyhose, and brown high heels. She also has her ears pierced and is sporting hoop earrings, as well as her eyebrow pierced with a golden stud. However, neither one of them exude the same aura of confidence that the girl in the middle does. This one casually tosses her long, golden waves behind her as she scans the hallways with aquamarine eyes. Her brown blouse is rather low-cut, which makes me question how tightly the rules are enforced here, and her jeans are slightly ripped, complying with the latest fashion. A teal belt stretches across her waist, accentuating her hips and matching the gaudy necklace she wears as well as several bangles that adorn her wrist. She too has her ears pierced and is sporting gold chandelier earrings. Sensing trouble, I try to move out of the way, but too late.

"Move it, newbie!" she snarls at me, pushing me backwards towards the lockers before continuing on swinging her hips down the hall, her friends close behind. I feel a sharp pain shoot through my shoulder as I collide with a locker before slumping to the floor, my new school supplies spilling out of my partially opened backpack. I look down at where the pain is coming from and find one of my injuries that had been stitched up has now burst open, crimson liquid beginning to stain my formerly grey sweater.

I am speechless as I clasp my hand over my wound, trying to stop the bleeding without avail. Note to self: Rosalya is one of the only exceptions. Tears spring to my eyes as I sit there helplessly, looking down and wishing desperately that she would find me and help me out like she had promised to.

"Ah, are you all right?" I hear a soft and canorous voice ask me. I gaze up at the speaker and find a young man kneeling down next to me. I gaze up at the speaker and find a young man kneeling down next to me. The first thing I notice about him is his heterochromatic eyes, his left being gold, and his right being a shade of green. It is said that eyes are the windows to one's soul, and his show concern for my well being, as well as a warmth that makes me believe that he is a kind person, but they also have a mysterious depth to them. I then notice his hair, a soft white, with black streaks mixed in on his right side of his face, as well as his clothes, which are quick to remind me of Leigh's, though his clothes are darker, with accents of green, rather than Leigh's purples. He outstretches a hand, offering a handkerchief. "Here, press this against your shoulder. It should help staunch the bleeding." Then, he proceeds to gather my scattered notebooks and pencils, putting them back in their respectful places in my bag before slinging the backpack over his shoulder and helping me to my feet. "You'll want to get that bandaged up, I presume, so please allow me to escort you to the nurse's office."

I follow the young man down the corridors of the school. He appears to be lost in thought, so I decide to keep quiet, for now, lest I distract him from something important. We enter what must be the nurse's office, but for whatever reason, it appears that there is no one in there other than our two selves.

Upon our arrival, he sets my bag down and offers me a seat, "It appears that the nurse is out right now, but you might as well take a seat. After all, you must be feeling slightly lightheaded from the blood loss. I'll wait here with you, if you don't mind, that is, until she returns."

"Um, I-I don't m-mind," I manage to stammer out as he sits down in the chair opposite from me.

A silence falls over us for a few minutes before he comments, "I apologize, I just realized that I didn't introduce myself. My name is Lysander. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Lysander, like 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?" I blurt out before adding. "I-I'm sorry, I'm sure y-you must get that a lot. M-my n-name's A-Amy, by the way."

Lysander smiles, "Actually, I've heard more people reference the Spartan general, not Shakespeare. As for your name, that would reference the novel, 'Little Women', correct?"

"Y-yes, that's correct," I look down towards my feet, unsure of how to act or what to say.

"Hmm, I don't believe that I've seen you around school before..." he muses, before sudden realization hits him. "You must be the new student, then."

I feel my face flush, so I let the parts of my hair that had come loose from my braid fall over my face in an attempt to hide behind it, before questioning, "S-So there are r-rumors already?"

Noticing my unease, Lysander reassures me, "Pretty much everyone saw two officers come in yesterday and ask at the main office for registration papers. Though I don't like the idea of gossip, it's almost impossible to not hear it in this school. Since, you'll probably hear it anyways, I might as well tell you that the rumor that's out there is that you must be some kind of delinquent. However, I do wish for you to know that I personally do not believe it, especially after meeting you, and I doubt anyone else would, either."

"Thanks," I feel much better after he tells me his opinion, and I even manage to return his smile. Before I can say anything else, however, the nurse walks in.

* * *

The nurse had managed to bandage me up, and to my surprise, Lysander waited for me so that we could talk more about classic literature. We exit the nurse's office together when I hear a familiar voice.

"Amy! I was looking everywhere for you!" Rosalya sprints up to the both of us. Today, she is wearing an elegant purple and white short corset dress with her signature black knee-high lace-up boots.

"Rosa, you know Amy?" Lysander asks.

Judging by Rosalya's expression, she hadn't realized Lysander was standing there, but she raises an eyebrow before replying, "Yeah, we met outside your brother's shop yesterday."

"I see," Lysander nods before speaking again. "Well, I better go... I unfortunately seem to have misplaced one of my notebooks."

After Lysander leaves, Rosalya turns her attention back to me, and I am filled with a strange sense of dread as her lips turn upward into a smirk. "So, why did you just walk out of the nurse's office with Lysander?"

Her eyes glint with a hunger for details, so I decide it is best if I just tell her straight out what had transpired. "Um, you see, he was helping me get to the nurse's office so I could get bandaged up... the stitches from one of my injuries broke open."

"What? How did that happen?!" The devious look in her eyes vanishes and is replaced almost immediately with shock, coupled with a bit of anger.

"Ah, i-it was an a-accident," I try to hide the true reason, though from her slight frown, she probably guessed the truth of it all. "A-anyways, Rosalya, according to the list of things I need to do, there's something about finishing up my registration?"

"Oh, if you need to get yourself finished with registration, you'll have to go to the student council room," she informs me, an odd, small smile on her face. "Come on, I'll take you there."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Weird: I thought I had posted this chapter this morning before I left for work, but evidently not. If you couldn't tell, this three part chapter will introduce each of the three main guys in the game (though you should already know them) and how they meet Amy. Nathaniel will be in the next part and Castiel in the final part. Anyways, I'd like to say a big thank you to Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy, Exactlyamanda, Kopland for answering the question posed in the last chapter's Author's Note and leaving reviews. Thanks also to the anonymous guest who also left a review. Right now, I have some ideas for the central focus for chapters 5 through 10, so hopefully, I'll be able to churn out a chapter or two a day for those chapters, but that's dependent on time. I would, however, expect First Day Madness Parts Two and Three sometime tomorrow (as in, 11/24). I already have them handwritten, but need to type them out still. Pairings are not yet set, and in order to stop repeating this phrase, I think I'll just comment down here when they have been. Like always, please do not hesitate to review, I do not own MCL, and hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Chapter 3: First Day Madness, Part Two

**Summary/Recap:** After somehow losing all of her memories, Amy, as she now calls herself, tries to pick up what's left of her life while attending Sweet Amoris High. Whether she finds family, friendship, or even love, she must try her hardest to push forward and forge new memories. In the last chapter, Amy reopened one of her wounds from the accident thanks to a certain bully. Luckily, she was helped to the nurse's office by Lysander, and the two of them talked for a bit while waiting for the nurse to return. Afterwards, Amy met up with Rosalya and they headed for the student council room in order to finalize Amy's registration.

**Chapter 3: First Day Madness, Part Two**

Rosalya and I stand at the entrance of the student council room, peering inside before she greets someone else who is in the room.

"Good morning, Nathaniel! I've brought you the new girl!"

"Good morning, Rosalya. So you're Amy, then?" Another boy, apparently named Nathaniel, appears to have been flipping through one of the file cabinets before we entered, but he takes pause to turn around and wave before hurriedly searching for something in said drawer. His hair is a nice blond, much like the color of the sun, and his eyes are liquid gold. In accordance with his obvious position as some sort of student intermediary with the staff, his attire is much more formal than a lot of the random kids I had seen in the halls, with a white collared shirt that must have been perfectly pressed, blue tie, and khaki pants. As he finds the paper he was looking for, he grabs a clipboard and puts the paper in it before walking up to us. "It's nice to meet you. As you probably just heard, my name is Nathaniel, and as the student body president, on behalf of the principal as well as the various staff members, welcome to our school."

"T-Thank you. I-I'm sure I'll l-love it here," I say as he hands me the clipboard.

"I'm sure that they'll be glad to hear you say so," Nathaniel expresses. "Well, let's get down to business. You'll need to read this document through and sign: it's a compliance form stating that you've read the school guidelines listed on this form and agree to follow them."

I peruse the papers that he handed me and sign my name on the dotted line at the bottom. Briefly, I wonder whether or not I should sign as 'Amy Neraida', the "adopted niece" of Agatha 'Tata' Neraida, or as simply 'Jane Doe' since this seemed to be some sort of legal form. However, considering that Nathaniel called me 'Amy' and it seems that it's now only the police that would call me 'Jane', I sign as the former before inquiring, "So, um, is there a-anything else that I need to do to complete my registration?"

With a gracious look, Nathaniel informs, "Yes, actually. In order to finalize everything, there is a $25.00 registration fee and we'll need a picture of you for your student i.d."

Tata had told me about the fee and had even gone so far as to provide me with more than enough for it, but I had heard nothing about this picture. My worries must have been somehow telepathically communicated to Rosalya, as she exclaims, "Oh, if you need a picture, I can take one for you!"

"Thanks Rosalya! That would be most helpful!" Relieved, I fervently believe that Rosalya will probably always be, in my mind, my best female friend, and I hope that perhaps one day, after I know what type of girl I wish to be, that I can be hers too.

"All right! Let me go retrieve my camera from the journalism club room, and I'll be right back!" She runs out of the room, leaving me and Nathaniel by ourselves.

I rummage through my bag and find the money that Tata had given me, "Uh, h-here. F-for my registration fee?"

"Thanks. It's not everyday that a new student is so well-prepared. Anyways, because it's mandatory, what sort of club might you be interested in?" he queries as he takes out another form, probably to document whatever it is I decide. Seeing him like this, all business-like, I wonder what sort of family his is like, since he seems to not take the time to enjoy himself.

In regards to his line of questioning, I remember what I had done for therapy, so answer, "I-I think I like reading... a-as well as art."

Nathaniel's face becomes interested as he notifies me, "Though it's a shame, we don't have any book clubs or the like here. The library is off-limits except in cases of research projects, so there's nowhere a club like that could really meet. If you need a good mystery novel to read, however, I have plenty."

Feeling more comfortable, I take him up on his offer, "I-I don't believe I've read anything like that before, b-but they sound intriguing!"

"Really, you've never read one? I'll bring one to school tomorrow so you can see how you like it," he states, before getting right back to business matters like diligence personified. "Back on topic, however, there is an art club, so I'll register you for that."

He starts to fill out the necessary paperwork when Rosalya barges in again. "All right, I'm back. Sorry if I took a while."

"It's okay, Rosalya," I smile at her in gratitude. "We were just discussing mandatory school clubs. You came in just as we were finishing up, so it's perfect timing."

Rosalya took a picture of me. I suppose it turned out pretty good, though I wouldn't really know good photography from bad. We hand the photo to Nathaniel before Rosalya leaves in order to go return the camera and discuss her individual project with a teacher. As I leave the student council room, I hear my name being called by an unknown female.

"Hey, Amy, wait up!" the girl walks up to me. She has slightly curled light brown hair that is fastened with two clips, blue-green eyes, and is wearing a pale blue long sleeved blouse, a white skirt with a cute floral pattern on one side, two golden bracelets adorn her wrist, and she has a pink ribbon tied around her neck. I sense from her immediately that she is a kind person and that there is nothing to worry about with her: something that I hadn't expected after my run-in with those three girls from earlier.

I stop so that she might catch up, but just when she does, Nathaniel pokes his head out of the student council room. "There you are, Melody. I was wondering if you would be showing Amy to her classes."

Melody looks over at the student body president and I notice a tinge of pink come to her cheeks. "I'm sorry I got here kind of late," she tells us before turning solely to me. "I'm Melody, one of the class representatives, and I'm pleased to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, Melody," I take her offered hand and shake it. "So you're supposed to show me around, then?"

"Yes, if you don't mind," she confirms before leading me off down the hall.

Melody gives me the tour around the entire school, first giving me my class schedule and then pointing out where each of those classes will be. Our conversation is mainly school-based, but in remembering her reaction when I first met her, I have to ask, "So, um, I don't mean to pry, but do you like-?"

"Ah, so you noticed?" she giggles and blushes, probably at the thought of Nathaniel. "I didn't think it would be obvious, but yes, I do like him. What about you? Is there anyone that you like? Of course, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, as we just met, but I'd like to get to know you more!"

"Well," I start. "To be honest, I don't know what love really is. I was in an accident, you see..." I explain to her everything, like I had done with Rosalya, before concluding, "And well, that's the truth of it all. Rosalya knows this as well, but I'd prefer it if not many people know the circumstances."

"All right then, I'll keep it a secret," Melody assures me. "As for you not knowing what love is, though, I would suggest you ask about it at the Halloween party that my friend, Iris, holds every year. Some of us girls typically stay overnight afterwards, so we can provide you with our input then, unless by then you already have fallen for someone."

"I highly doubt that!" I laugh at the idea. "I barely know how to handle talking to anyone yet, and I would think that it would just cause me no end of drama if I did before remembering everything again."

"Fate can work in strange ways, sometimes," Melody gives me a knowing grin. "But we should head to class now, so I'll talk with you more later."

"Later it is, then!" I bid her farewell before heading to my locker in order to put store most of my belongings. I check the time and then mutter to myself, "Oh, no, I hope I won't be late..."

**Author's Note:** Well, there you have it, part two of the chapter. Part three (introducing Castiel) already has been handwritten and should be up later today or tonight, depending on when my brother and his family head back home. I apologize if any of you believe that this chapter, the last one, and the one to come are a bit short, but it was all initially supposed to be one chapter. The reason why I broke it up is in order to highlight Amy meeting each of the three main guys. I am curious whether you think I made the right decision in doing so or not. Anyways, thanks to all of my readers, as well as AliceXxX, binaryguppy, and Exactlyamanda for their reviews on the last chapter, as I wish to provide any who read this with something enjoyable, and those who review get me psyched up to pump out the next chapter. All that being said, like always, I leave off by confessing I do not own MCL or affiliated characters, though Amy is one of my OCs, and I would be honored if you would provide me with feedback!


	5. Chapter 4: First Day Madness, Part Three

**Summary/Recap: **After somehow losing all of her memories, Amy, as she now calls herself, tries to pick up what's left of her life while attending Sweet Amoris High. Whether she finds family, friendship, or even love, she must try her hardest to push forward and forge new memories. In the last chapter, Rosalya introduced Amy to the student body president, Nathaniel, in order to finalize her registration. Afterwards, Amy was given a tour of the school, by Melody, with whom she has become fast friends with.

**Chapter 4: First Day Madness, Part Three**

I sit just outside the locked classroom door, trying my best to not attempt to break it down. Instead of heading straight to class, I had decided to stop by my locker in order to drop off supplies that I wouldn't need. However, due to my negligence of time management, I wound up arriving at the classroom just as the teacher shut the door in my face, locking me out. Evidently, regardless of the fact that it is my first day of school, some teachers have a 'no exceptions' policy. Initially, I had gone to the student council room, hoping that Nathaniel or Melody might be able to help me out, but I found no one in there. As I traipsed down the halls, I found absolutely no one that could possibly help. The place was as populated as a ghost town. Giving up my search, I had made my way back to the classroom that I was supposed to be in and sat down right next to it, close to tears.

"Stupid teacher with stupid rule..." I growl angrily. "That dumb document Nathaniel had me sign said absolutely nothing about teachers locking you out if you're late for class."

As I contemplate just what to do next, I notice a door that is slightly ajar down the hall. It doesn't appear to be a classroom, so I walk over to it in order to check it out. Behind it, there is a staircase that leads up, and knowing that I'm already on the top floor, I presume that it goes to the rooftop. "Well, things can't really get much worse than they are right now, and knowing my luck today, I might as well stay up there until lunchtime, I guess."

Once on the rooftop, I gasp. The view is breathtaking. I can see for miles here, all the way to Tata's house, the clothing store, the hospital... everything in the entire town of Amoris is within my eyesight. I wish that I had the oil paints that I had in the hospital, as this would make a perfect focal point for a painting. I stand at the rail, the closest I dare get to the edge, and gaze out at the horizon, my thoughts running wild.

I am interrupted, suddenly, by a jeering voice, taunting, "Hey, little girl, don't you know that this area is off limits to students?"

I turn my head towards the voice and see a guy standing there. His shoulder length hair is the same color as my eyes: blood red, which though it catches me off guard at first, I believe that unlike my eyes, which are natural, his hair is probably dyed. Eyes of stormy grey are narrowed at me. Upon looking within them, I see an intense pain. From basic psychology, I would guess that he's trying to hide it with his startling, "bad boy" (at least that's what I think it's called) appearance. He is garbed in a red t-shirt emblazoned with a skull and wings, an onyx colored leather jacket, black pants with a chain dangling from them, and another slimmer chain hangs around his neck rather than a necklace. As he is obviously a student, and from what I had been told about dealing with those who dress like him by the cops, showing signs of weakness would be highly inadvisable, so I take a deep breath before replying, "Could say the same to you then, right, Crimson?"

He smirks and approaches me, examining my face before commenting, "Nice eyes."

I shoot back almost instantaneously, "Nice hair."

The both of us are staring each other down before he breaks the ice with a casual, "Name's Castiel. You're the newbie, correct?"

"Amy. That's my name," I tell him straight up.

"Right," he moves so that he is standing next to me at the rail before taking a carton of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket, removing one, and sliding the carton back in his pocket, lighting up afterwards. "So, _Amy_, what's a girl like you doing up here?"

"A-A girl like me?" I raise an eyebrow while looking him straight in the face.

Castiel looks amused by my reaction, answering, "Innocent, child-like, you look too much of a good girl to be caught up here like this."

"Well," I purse my lips. "Th-this... _bastard_ of a teacher shut the door in my face just as I got to it. Sure, I was a teensy bit _late_, but it's my first day and I had to stop at my locker in order to drop some things off. There. Does that answer your question?"

He chuckles at my outburst and then proceeds to say, "You're definitely not like what I pictured. Rosalya said to play nice, but it looks like you can handle yourself pretty well. Say, what sort of music do you listen to?"

"Music?" I freeze, trying to think of any genre that I might have heard of. Coming up with none, I respond, "Actually... I-I've never really had the c-chance to listen to any..."

Castiel's expression becomes incredulous, as he exclaims, "What?! You mean, you've never heard even one song?"

"Um... sorry?" I offer.

"I can't believe this. You must be the most sheltered child in about a century. Here, let me fix that," he reaches into his pocket again and pulls out an iPod, as well as a set of headphones.

I tense up as he places the headphones over my ears, but am really startled when blaring notes of rock music hit my ears. I flinch in surprise, to which he laughs, but the music is actually rather... nice. I tell him so after the song ends, stating, "Th-that was... I really enjoyed it. Thank you!"

"Good to see your induction was successful," his lips twitch upwards into another smirk as he takes another puff of his cigarette. "The name of that band is Winged Skull, by the way."

"Thanks for the name. I'll probably look them up more later. Um... so you said you know Rosalya?" I ask. Perhaps she hangs around him? Though she didn't really peg me as the type to do so...

"Hmm? Oh, yeah," Castiel informs me. "She tends to hover around me and one of my friends, Lysander. Makes sense, considering Lysander is her boyfriend's brother and all..."

"Wait, Lysander and Leigh are related?!" I blurt out. "I-I mean... I s-suppose I should have known by the clothes..."

"Well, they don't exactly look alike other than that, but yeah, they're brothers. You've already met the both of them then?" he inquires while putting out his smoke.

"Yeah..." I trail off, but don't provide any more details.

The bell chimes, signalling that lunch time has arrived, so the two of us head down from our retreat towards the lunch hall.

* * *

Lunch time was rather enjoyable, with Rosalya leading the conversation while Castiel would sometimes interject an idea, and Lysander and I would just sit there, listening and answering as need be. After lunch, I went to my chem class where I found Melody and Nathaniel, so the three of us worked together on the lab of the day. All in all, despite those three girls at the beginning, I had a fairly decent first day, and hoped that tomorrow would be just as fun.

"So, darling, how was your day?" Tata begins to interrogate me after I arrive at home. "Did you make sure you followed the list?"

I smile a genuine smile, as I happily respond, "Of course!"

"That's my good girl! Tell me these new friends of yours, then!"

Tata and I talk well into the night about Rosalya, Lysander, Nathaniel, Melody, and Castiel, and in doing so, I find myself starting to open up to the idea of being friends with all of them... They were all kind people, and though only the girls knew of my accident, I feel like I might be able to grow to trust all of them with it one day soon.

"Oh, and Amy, Officer Findlay will be dropping by tomorrow to check in. I'm sure you'll want to hang out with your friends, as tomorrow is Friday, but it should only take at most an hour, so don't worry!"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Phew, finally finished that three parter! I wish I could have had it all out sooner, but my laptop has been glitching a bit as of late, so typing everything up took longer than it should have. Well, now that we've seen all three boys, the fun/drama can start! I know that a lot of you are anticipating flashbacks from Amy's past, as well as relationship (well, friendship for now) development, so hopefully, next chapter should provide you with enough of both to stimulate your minds. Thanks to all of you who take the time to read this, as well as special thanks to those that reviewed the last chapter: Bianca Bonami and Exactlyamanda. Like I'll keep stating, MCL does not belong to me, though Amy is my OC, and reviewing helps me churn these chapters out faster, so please do so!


	6. Chapter 5: Reporters, Raves, and Rivals

**Summary/Recap: **After somehow losing all of her memories, Amy, as she now calls herself, tries to pick up what's left of her life while attending Sweet Amoris High. Whether she finds family, friendship, or even love, she must try her hardest to push forward and forge new memories. In the last chapter, due to her being late to class, Amy met up with Castiel on the rooftop. The rest of her day seems to go by with no more incidents, and as she talked to Tata before heading to bed, she learned that Officer Findlay would be stopping by the next day.

**Chapter 5: Of Reporters, Raves, and Rivals**

I pant heavily, inhaling and exhaling at record speed, with only one thought on my mind. I can't let her catch me. I turn my head, left, right, behind me. She is still there, and despite the busy, occluded halls, she is making a mad rush in my direction. Why she needs to talk to me so badly is something I cannot fathom, but needless to say, her intrusion is not a welcome one. It is an invasion of privacy, and I definitely don't need anything like that right now. I sigh at her insistence, but I am _not _going to give her what she wants. My short life is complicated enough as is without some _reporter _that wants to interview me as a special feature for the school newspaper. But it seems as though she smells a scoop, and is relentless in her pursuit. I dart in between students and duck under several arms, trying to make the chase more difficult, but despite all of this, she is not giving up. Several apologies are made from myself to the various persons that I push aside in my escape.

"It's just _one _little interview! It's not like it's going to hurt you!" my predator calls out to me, but I am still running like a deer from the hunt.

Before me, I see just _exactly _who I wanted to see... not. The three fashion slaves are at it again, tossing their hair and flaunting their bodies as they make their way down the hall... well, other than the girl on the right, that is. I wonder why she hangs around the other two, but I'm not going to go out of my way to question her on her affairs, as that would make me no better than my pursuer. Despite knowing that I must be a fool to do so, considering the circumstances, I make a break for it, colliding with the queen bee herself and muttering an insincere, "I'm sorry." before continuing down the corridor.

"Hey, watch it, bitch!" I hear her scream from behind me. "Just you wait, I'll have my revenge for this!" Though her threat might be something I'll have to worry about later, right now, I could really care less. If she gets too unmanageable, I'm sure that I could take it up with Nathaniel. Speaking of which, I wonder if I were to speak to Nathaniel about the crazed paparazzi girl if she would leave me alone... Well, at the very least, I could mention something to him in chemistry.

As I near the end of the hallway, there's not as many people, which has me worried. The only reason why I hadn't been caught yet was because the persistent girl had to dodge around the chaos of the early morning hallway traffic, and me, being of a much tinier stature and frame, had an easier time of it. I take a brief glance behind me to see where she was at amidst all of the ruckus, when I collide with someone - well, more like _two _someones after tripping and falling onto the other.

Simultaneously, I hear Castiel's joking, "Hey, little girl, what's the big hurry?" and Lysander's concerned, "Is there something the matter, Amy?"

I feel myself flush upon realizing that I ran straight into them, knowing that I'll hear no end of it from Rosalya, but gasp out, "S-sorry... b-but... r-r-reporter!"

The two of them look at each other and nod before springing into action, Lysander maneuvering through the crowds towards the crazed woman in an attempt to halt her progress, while Castiel grabs my wrist and leads me down the stairwell and to the front doors.

"We'll have to chat more later, but Lysander and I will keep her distracted, so don't worry your little head about it," he assures me as he pushes me out the front door.

I stumble, but quickly regain my balance and decide to walk around the school grounds leisurely, as I had confidence that Castiel was correct in his statement that he and Lysander would protect me. Quietly, I slip onto a pathway, and find myself in a beautiful garden. The soft aroma of summer roses is in the breeze, and the flowers and other plants have thrived in the rather mild late summer, early autumn heat. There is a gazebo under a trellis of the roses, and in it, there is a girl who appears to be making a sketch of the surroundings. Loose, violet hair hangs to just above her shoulders, and she is clothed in an ash colored dress. I watch silently as a gloved hand manipulates a drawing pencil over canvas, etching the beauty of the foliage forever in history. She pauses and notices me, letting out a squeak as she moves to cover her masterpiece.

"Ah, I-I'm sorry... I-I didn't m-mean to frighten you..." I offer, biting my lip. "Y-your drawing skills are b-breathtaking, though."

"O-oh, you l-like them?" she gives me a small smile as she blushes. "Um... t-thank you."

"Y-you're welcome," I smile back. "M-my name's A-Amy. I'm a n-new student around here."

"V-Violette..." she trails off.

"Um, you w-wouldn't happen to be in the a-art club, would you?" I ask. "I s-signed up for it, b-but have n-no idea of w-where it might meet or w-who might be in it..."

"Ah, y-yes..." she affirms. "Actually, i-it's just m-me, and n-now y-you too, I-I guess."

"O-okay... s-so I'll see you l-later, then?" I inquire.

'Y-Yes, l-later. Um, I'm t-thinking of setting the m-meetings on W-Wednesday, if you don't m-mind..." she stutters.

"A-All right, Wednesday it is," I acknowledge as I bid her goodbye and head to class.

* * *

As it is homeroom and there is no assigned seating, I sit in the back corner opposite from the door and next to a girl who introduced herself to me as 'Iris'. She too, is a sweet girl, and we spend the time allotted conversing with each other before the PA system chimes, alerting us to an announcement.

_Good morning, Sweet Amoris High! This is Peggy, with your news update! As you all should be aware, mid-October is already here, so you know what's coming up soon: Homecoming Week!_

The girls in class start squealing while the guys are shaking their heads, so I turn to Iris and whisper, "Um, what exactly is homecoming?"

"It's a dance, the first dance of the year," she grins, happy to teach me about it. "Since formal wear is required, do you want to come shopping with Melody and me later tonight?"

"Okay!" I agree. "Do you mind if I ask Rosalya and Violette as well?"

"Not at all, the more the merrier!" she exclaims and programs her cell number into my new phone as the announcement continues.

_As ever, Homecoming is a formal dress event, so I would start planning if I were you to go shopping! Remember, whether you show up with a date or show up with your friends, you're sure to have a blast! Everyone who's anyone will be there, and tickets will go on sale Monday morning. Don't be late!_

* * *

At lunchtime, I manage to find Violette and ask her whether or not she'd like to go shopping with us, to which she shyly agreed. As for Rosalya...

I sit down at the table next to her while she is in mid-conversation with the guys, trying to convince Castiel to go to the dance with her, Leigh, and Lysander, as it's "more fun if you go in a group of friends."

Upon noticing me, Lysander greets me, "Good afternoon, Amy. Have you been doing any better since this morn?"

I notice Castiel mouth a thanks to both him and me as Rosalya pounces on me, "Amy! Just the girl I wanted to see! C'mon, we need to go talk!" She drags me to an empty room and I see a devious smirk across her face as she interrogates, "So, this morning, huh? I heard you fell on both Castiel and Lys..."

"Um, actually, I ran into them... literally," I admit. "I was running from some girl who was trying to force me into an interview."

"Really? Running from Peggy? Aww, that's too bad... I thought it might have been on purpose," Rosalya sighs. "You know if you need me to set you up with someone I'd be more than happy to do so."

"O-okay..." I really don't know what to say to that. Love and relationships aren't things that I need right now, right? I could wait for it to come to me. Just chasing after it blindly seems like a bad idea, and besides, Castiel and Lysander are my friends! I don't want to risk that friendship! "Anyways, um, Rosa... Iris invited me to go shopping for a dress with her and Melody later tonight. Violette is also going, so would you like to tag along?"

"Of course! I'm glad you asked!" she immediately accepts my invitation. "And I take it that you'll come along with me and the boys that night? Well, you could ask the other girls, though I know Melody will have to help in running the thing, alongside Nathaniel..."

The two of us speak for quite a while in there, in fact, until lunch is about over. I then realize that she has programmed not only her number in my phone, but also Melody's and the three guys'...

* * *

"Welcome home," Tata sings out as she presents me with a tray of cookies. They appear to be just plain, sugar cookies, but they are decorated in a tie-dye frosting and have an edible glitter layer on top of them.

I take one and notice our guest in the brightly adorned kitchen, greeting, "Officer Findlay! Good to see you again!"

"You look well, Amy," he comments, kindness in his tired eyes. "We've just been talking about your new friends, and I'm glad that you've been adjusting quite easily."

"Well... are there any new leads in your investigation? What about your family? Are they doing well?"

He smiles before answering, "My family's doing fine, thanks. As for the investigation... I just got a lead on my phone while here, so Agatha and I were planning on heading to a city nearby while you go hang out with your friends."

"Um, we're going shopping, actually," I tell him. "Apparently there's something called Homecoming that I'll need a dress for."

"Ah, indeed, Homecoming. I remember in the days of my youth that I went with my wife every year from the time we were freshmen in high school up until seniors in college," he reminisces. "Have fun with that, okay? You're only young once, so you should make the most of it."

"Thank you, Officer, and good luck to the both of you. I'll see you later then," I bow my head before scampering upstairs to change and get ready to go out on the town.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, glad I got that done before I have to go meet up with my bf (boyfriend)! I'll be back on later tonight with Chapter 6, since it isn't that long of a chapter, at least not in my rough draft version. I'd love to know what you all think about me adding in events from my days as a high school student (actually, that was just two years ago...), such as Homecoming. I'm thinking of adding in a few more as the year progresses in the story, so I'd like your guidance! Like always, thanks to all my readers, and special thanks to Addison Clarks, Exactlyamanda, and an anonymous guest for reviewing in the last chapter! Remember, I do not own MCL, nor will I ever, so I won't be posting that down here anymore, since you all _should know _by now that I don't, as I only own Amy, my OC. See you guys later, and please don't hesitate to review!


	7. Chapter 6: Dead End

**Author's Note Revised Part 1: **Sorry about last time I posted this chapter. I went a little overboard there because of my head going all over the place and wanting to answer a recurring comment sent to me through various means from about 20 people. Considering it was 3 in the morning, I hope that you all will forgive me for that. As an apology, I have also come back to expand a bit more and revise this chapter to make it more suitable by my standards. Because there are added scenes in here that I hadn't initially intended on releasing yet, I would recommend that you at least read those since one in particular is something that is important for later on.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Dead End**

Bright lights blind me as Rosalya, Melody, Iris, Violette, and I walk through the entrance of a large department store. Initially, I had wondered why we weren't going to Leigh's, but Rosalya explained that it would be much too packed because that's where _everyone _in school would go. That, and she insisted that we shouldn't have dresses that matched someone else at the dance. In the end, we wound up going to the next town over, about twenty minutes away, in order to shop at a large department store. Considering it was a Friday night, the place did not seem all that crowded, and though all the items for purchase appeared very high end, we decided that we could pool our money together in order to afford what we needed.

"Well, ladies, it's time that we get Operation: Dress Hunt underway!" Rosalya announces while pumping her fist up in the air. The rest of us make several exclamations (excluding however, Violette, who just gives a bashful smile) in approval before she resumes command and announces our plan of action. "All right! I've studied the floor patterns, and dresses are on the sixth floor. They are split up by color, so our plan of attack should be to first decide on what colors we want, and then head to the corresponding area. Once there, start picking up what it is you think will work. Two hours from now, we'll meet up at the dressing rooms on that floor in order to try on what we have at that point and decide on whether we as a whole like it or not. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Melody, Iris, and I raise our hand in mock salute while Violette stands there awkwardly. Together, we head up to the sixth floor by elevator and congregate again in order to discuss colors.

"Okay, now for colors... Iris, what are you thinking?" Rosalya turns to her to start.

Iris gives some pause before concluding, "Right now, I'm thinking of going with either green or purple."

"You, Melody?" Rosa continues on down the line.

Melody bites her lip while mentally going through her options, deciding, "Blue, I guess."

"Violette?" Rosalya turns to my silent friend, who while in the spotlight looks as though she'd love to go hide behind one of the dress racks about now.

"...G-grey maybe? Or else b-brown?" she manages to say, though I notice her hands clenching tighter in nervousness.

"And Amy?"

I think for a while, trying to decide which color I like the most. I had learned that 'People like things when it reminds them of themselves,' so I wonder about who I really am. As I contemplate this, I keep going back to the color, white. White is the absence of color, and I am severely lacking of any sense of self. However, white is also a blank canvas on which other colors may bloom, and as I make my own decisions in life, I will develop accordingly, eventually becoming like a painting when I know just who I am and what it is that I want out of life. Making my own choice for the first time, I answer simply, "White."

* * *

Us girls split up, hoping that we might find exactly what we needed. Two hours pass by quickly, but as time is a fleeting thing, especially when one is enjoying oneself, that fact did not surprise me. I am burdened under the weight of several dresses as I drag myself towards the back wall, where the fitting rooms are. Rosalya is already almost there, lugging much more dresses than I am towards our destination. I briefly wonder how she can carry all of them, but considering how often she must shop, Leigh being her boyfriend and all, it suddenly becomes much more clear to me.

"So, where are the others?" I ask while placing my load on one of the chairs outside and sitting down on another.

"Hmm? Oh, they're coming," Rosa states as she heads into one of the rooms. "Do you mind if I get started trying these on? This might take me a while to decide on just one..."

"No, not at all," I assuage her worries and she offers me words of thanks before shutting the door.

Moments later, Melody shows up, followed closely by Iris and Violette.

"Hey, Amy," Iris greets me. "How did your hunt go?"

"Um, fine, I guess," I weakly smile. "What about all of yours?"

"I think it went pretty well," Melody comments, and Violette adds to her statement, "Y-yes, indeed."

"Where's Rosalya? In the dressing room already?" Iris asks, to which I nod.

"Yeah, she had quite a number of dresses, so she thought she might as well get a head start," I enlighten them.

"Oh, okay," she says as she, along with the others, take seats near me.

* * *

In the end, Rosalya's dress is a strapless dark purple cocktail dress made out of organza, with plenty of tulle on the skirt and ribbon lacing on the back that resembles a corset, Iris's dress is a dark green empire waist charmeuse short dress, Melody's dress is a chiffon aqua short one shoulder dress, with silver beadwork flowers creating a design across the top, and Violette's dress is a dark grey taffeta halter dress, with a plain and simple elegance.

However, I am still not finished picking out a dress, and after many rejections, Rosa finally comments, "You know, Amy, you may like white, but it's so... _plain_."

"Really, you think so?" I look down at my feet, dejected. "It just... reminds me of me, I guess, and that makes me comfortable."

Melody sighs and shakes her head, "I can't say that white is a bad color, and it really does suit you well, but I think you should have at least some details to your dress, and not just have it devoid of well, everything."

"Hmm," Iris purses her lips before suddenly brightening up. "Hey, think of it like this: what is your preference in guys?"

At her remark, I instantly swivel around away from them, knowing that my face has probably become as red as a cherry tomato, considering how much it is burning from embarrassment.

"Um, Iris, Amy is-" Rosalya starts to say before catching herself, but she is seemingly at a loss for words afterwards.

"Amy has never known what it is like to be in love with someone," Melody comes to the rescue, much to my relief.

Iris looks like she wants to say something, but all she can come up with is a deflated, "Oh."

"Ah, don't be sad, Iris! I'm sorry!" I apologize frantically, as I run over towards her to console her, but I trip and fall, landing flat on my face.

"Oh my gosh, Amy, are you all right?" I hear someone from above me, but I am lost in a memory...

* * *

_I'm young, maybe four, five years old? It is springtime and I am running, playing, like any child at that age would. Suddenly, I trip over my own feet and scream as I fall, not wanting to get hurt, but instead, something breaks my fall I land on something soft instead of the hard ground._

_"Ow," I hear a boy's voice cry out from underneath me._

_My cheeks flare up like an inferno upon realizing that I'm on top of him, so I quickly get up and all I do is apologize over and over again._

_"It's okay," he tells me as he stands up. "You're not from around here, are you?"_

_I shake my head no._

_"Um, since you look lonely, I'll play with you, if that's what you want," he offers._

_I smile, a genuine smile that lights up my entire face as I hug him, crying soft tears of happiness._

_At sunset, we are parted by our parents coming to pick us up, though we try to run away just to spend a little bit more time together._

_"I'll never forget you," he promises._

_Tears are streaming down both of our cheeks, knowing that we'll probably never see each other again. We gaze into the other's eyes one last time, and he tucks a dark pink amaranth globe blossom behind my ear, shyly kissing my cheek as he does so before our parents find us, leading us away from each other down different walks of life._

* * *

The girls are all hovering over me, concerned. They're staring at me, wondering if I need their help as I pick myself up off the ground and wipe away the tears that have formed in my eyes.

"A-Amy..." Violette touches my arm, and I know that she, like the others, wants to know if I'm okay, so I smile to them and give them a thumbs up.

"Come on, I know what it is I want to get!" I announce as I head back onto the floor to pick up a dress that I had seen previously, though I had thought it too evocative for my liking before.

* * *

Just as we are about to head to the cash register, my cell phone goes off. On the caller i.d. is listed 'Officer Jacobsen', so I give my dress to Rosalya to carry while I take the call in the secluded dressing room.

"This is Amy, how can I help you?" I ask, wondering why she's calling me.

She begins to speak, but I can barely make out her words... her voice is wracked with sobs, and I know something is terribly wrong. She's always been the strong one, supporting those she cares about with gruff words that are straight to the point. One could never see her emotions there, as she distanced herself from them in order to protect her heart, but crying? I listen, horrified, as she chokes out, "O-Ollie's dead. Someone s-shot him... As for Agatha, s-she's in the hospital. I'm not sure of her condition right now, but- "

I can barely breathe, and find myself gasping for air. Officer Findlay, dead? I had just talked with him not but three and a half hours ago over cookies! He had been more than happy to go out and follow up on a lead for me. It was he who had found me, half-dead on the side of the road. He was the one who had covered me with his jacket, despite how much of my blood stained it, and kept me warm and still alive while waiting for the ambulance to show up. And Tata, the woman who had taken me under her wing as a niece and done everything possible to make me comfortable and happy, was now in the hospital? What happened? Was it random chance? Or could it be that I was the reason for their pain? Before I am able to get any answers, however, a hand clasps itself over my nose and mouth, a cloth pressed up against my nostrils and lips. I inhale sharply - a bad mistake, I realize, as my vision swims before me and I fade into darkness.

* * *

**Author's Note Revised Part 2:** I hope that you enjoyed this revised chapter, as I feel it flows better now. I love all you guys in a platonic way, and dedicate this new version to you. I'm planning on working on/posting Chapter 7 tomorrow, so that I can catch up on my sleep (probably have only had 10 hours tops since I started writing on here). As an update, I have a lot of ideas in my head now thanks to my fiancee. Also, I think I might have an answer to what pairing that I'm going for in the end, though not sure 100% yet. Like always, reviews make me work faster, but I will not blame you if you do not do so this time seeing as how this is a redo. Until next time!


	8. Chapter 7: Fleeting Memory

**Author's Note Part 1: **If you thought you had already read the last chapter, that ridiculous thing with those analyses and all, I would suggest that you go back to that chapter and take another look, since I fixed it and added a bit more content. I felt really bad about things while I was at work since I was an emotional going every which direction mess at the time of the last chapter, and probably should not have been posting anything, so I hope that you all can forgive me for that. Anyways, if you've read the new version, (meaning it doesn't have a ridiculously long author's note), please continue on. If not, I would say again, I highly recommend you go back to Chapter 6 and reread it, or at least, the parts that have changed. Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 7: Fleeting Memory**

_A name is being called. It is familiar, but I cannot comprehend it. A woman, her ebony curls tousled by the chilly late night breeze laced with frost, is frantically searching for someone. Despite that I cannot hear her clearly, I know that she is trying to find me. A deep pain can be seen in her ultraviolet eyes, not from her being barefoot in the snow, but from the harshness of circumstances of her life. She screams out, tears streaming down her face, which is contorted in intense sorrow. I start running towards her, to try to assist her and tell her that "I'm here!" and that everything will be okay. She would not have to suffer anymore. As I near her, somehow I know that she is my mother. With a delicate hand, she brushes away the liquid that stains her face and I reach her, arms outstretched, desperately attempting to grasp her and pull her into a warm embrace. However, once I finally am within arms reach, I gasp in terror, realizing that she is just a porcelain doll, which cracks and shatters upon my light touch. Blood drips down onto the formerly unblemished frozen powder, dying it in its morbid hue. Falling to the ground, I weep._

* * *

I awaken to a series of loud noises, unlike anything that I had heard before. A foreign odor is in the air... acrid, bitter, and metallic? Observing my surroundings, I find myself lying on a cot, rather similar to the ones shown to be in prison. The walls and floor are hard concrete, cold, unwelcoming, and barren. No comfort is to be found through a window, for there is none in here. My only means of escape lies in a locked door, cruelly fashioned of sturdy oak. After taking a look around, I can only be grateful for one thing: that my captors had not forced me to be bound. Gone is my purse and with it, my school i.d. and phone. I am in an unknown location with unknown people, and it's doubtful that my well being has even crossed their minds. How much time has passed since I was with the girls? Had they already notified the police? How was Tata doing? And poor Officer Findlay's family...

"Well, now, what do we have here?" a man chortles in a slight accent at my startled jump before he leaps back himself. "Ah, y-you're!"

His reaction to my partially visible face causes me to fully turn to him. The guy's hair is blonde, not like Nathaniel's, but a darker tone. It is long and silky, reaching to about halfway down his back, I would guess. A few wispy strands hang in front of his face, over his dark sunglasses. Though it is strange for someone to wear sunglasses indoors, I mentally salute him for his obvious precaution. He is a true genius, if he covers his eyes for the reason that I believe he does, but then again, perhaps he is just fortunately blessed with the only defense that can stop me and anyone else from perceiving what type of man he truly is. Though he can't be too much older than I, he is very adult-like in his all black attire that consists of an Under Armour long sleeved shirt, cargo pants, and steel-toed boots. Interested on whether he might have known who I was, I question, "Um, you know who I am?"

Before he can answer, another man walks in, a policeman. The mystery boy turns to him and they start speaking rapidly in a harsh language that I do not understand. When they are finished, the boy turns back to me and declares, "So, your name is Amy, you're from around here, and you were reported missing about two hours ago. Sorry about before; I must have startled you. In any case, my name is Lucien, Lucien Heidrich."

"It's okay...?" I assure him, pondering just exactly where I was. "Um, I-I hate to be rude since it doesn't seem like you're with the ones who kidnapped me, but um, what exactly is going on here?"

He looks at me, well at least I think he is looking at me when he briefs me, "Where to start? Hmm, well, my family had been tracking a gang of thugs for quite some time for reasons that I cannot disclose, but I'm sure you understand that, being family matters and all."

Family matters? Is he like part of the Mafia or something? After all, they do have ties pretty much everywhere, or so I had learned on t.v. Not wanting to get myself in over my head, I keep myself silent and just tilt my head nonchalantly in apparent understanding.

After my implied agreement, Lucien continues, "Okay, so anyways, we finally managed to find there base of operations here at this warehouse in one of the old districts of town, and so we decided to make a raid, seeing as how we had probable cause and all."

Probable cause: the term used by police that means 'reasonable grounds for making a search'. In that case, they do not necessarily need a warrant, especially if they see something happen right in front of them and witness it for themselves. Just who was this guy, really... an investigator perhaps? Maybe he knew Officer Jacobsen? Hoping that he might be able to do _something _about my situation, I request, "Um, you're working alongside the police, correct? Do you think you could drop me off at the precinct? I know one of the officers there and need to talk to her as soon as possible."

"Oh, who is it that you know?" he queries as he offers me a hand to lead me out of the room.

I grasp it and follow compliantly while sating his curiosity, "Officer Jacobsen. She and... Officer F-Findlay have always b-been there for m-me." I have to force myself to speak his name, and even as I do so, I feel an intense pain within my chest, like something's missing. The man was practically the father figure in my life in place of the one I couldn't remember. For him to be gone just didn't feel right.

Lucien pats me on the head, soothingly, and wipes away my tears before consoling me, "He was a good man, and will be sorely missed. Yes, I'll take you back to headquarters, as I'm sure that they're going haywire trying to find you. But while we're leaving this place, I'd recommend that you shield your eyes, as it's a bit of a mess and we haven't gotten forensics down here yet..."

* * *

As I stroll into the precinct, I am greeted almost instantaneously by cries of "Amy!" and "Thank goodness!" before being mobbed by the girls.

"They didn't hurt you, did they?" Iris's distress is evident in her eyes, just like they are in everyone else's.

"You gave us quite the scare, you know," Melody reprimands me, though I know it is only because I made her worry.

"That's it, I'm _never _letting you out of my sight again," Rosalya flings her arms around me, to which I do the same.

"I-I'm glad you're s-safe..." Violette looks close to tears, so I embrace her as well before we all wind up in a group hug.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Officer Jacobsen standing there, arms crossed, her solemn eyes waiting for me to finish up before she would talk to me. I break free of the hug and go to her, and she takes me to one of the private rooms in order to discuss things with me.

Almost afraid to ask, I manage to say, "So, um... Tata..."

"She's recovering. Whoever their assailant was, she didn't get a good look and she only got hit in the leg and shoulder blade. The doctors want to keep a close eye on her right now, but she'll be released in a few days' time," she grabs a loose strand of hair tightly, struggling to keep her calm demeanor. "Of course, that means that for now, you'll have to stay with one of your friends, but we're planning on leaving a guard on you from here on out. Someone may be out to get you, especially considering the state we had found you in and since Ollie and Agatha were following a lead on your case when the gunshots were fired."

"Um, d-do you know what that lead was?" I ask, trying to put on a strong face for her.

She shakes her head, "Sorry, I don't... and Agatha doesn't know all the details either. She was just there so that if they found your parents, she could inform them on how you have been doing."

"I see," I place my hand on my neck before changing the topic. "So I'll be staying with one of my friends, then?"

"Yes, you'll be staying with Rosalya. She lives right across the street from here in an apartment complex," Jacobsen tells me. "There's a lot of people there, so though that increases the risk of someone slipping in, if they come for you, you'll be able to draw the attention of _someone _I'm sure. Also, it gives you a lot of places to hide and the officers that keep an eye on you will be able to move around more easily undercover."

"Okay then," I agree, grateful that Rosa had been willing to help me out, especially since she was one of my only friends who knew all that had happened prior to me meeting her.

"Take care of yourself, Amy," she concludes, but I still have a few things to say to her.

"I will, and... I'm sorry. I know that you cared a great deal about him."

She is quiet before she softly speaks, "His funeral will be on Tuesday. I'd like to take you with. It'll bring both of us some comfort, I feel."

"Yes, I think it would too. I'll see you then, then?"

Jacobsen nods as she leads me back to the girls. I discuss with them what my recollection was of the incident that had happened tonight and then Melody, Iris, and Violette leave before Rosa and I are accompanied to her living quarters by Jacobsen.

* * *

**Author's Note Part 2:** I should probably mention here that Lucien is one of my other OCs and will be quite important to the story, but due to plot line, I cannot reveal any other details other than what I've already given here. Sorry! But do not fret, he's _not _one of the options for Amy to be with. As a bit of a related info, if you would like to have an OC in an upcoming part (the story has openings for some), go ahead and PM me for more information.

I would like to say that I have not posted this story on the MCL website, and since I have had a couple of questions about if I was planning to, the answer is more than likely not. However, my username on there is the same as it is on here: erinyoukai, so if you want to talk to me on there instead of on here, you may do so.

Finally, I would like to thank all of my readers as usual and an extra special thanks to reviewers AliceXxX, Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy, Goosip Girl, OceanTide, shadowtakesall and an unknown guest for reviewing the last chapter original version, despite its horrid shortness and poor writing. As usual, your reviews help me to get these up quicker, so please take the time to do so!

This chapter is dedicated to my group of friends, as without them, I wouldn't have had a story to tell in the first place, my fiancee, because without him, I would definitely not be able to write one of the characters the way I do (would probably fail miserably at it), and to most especially, you, my readers!


	9. Chapter 8: Weekend Woes

** Chapter 8: Weekend Woes**

"I am sooo bored!" Rosa whines as she flops down on the charcoal silk-covered couch in her living room. I empathize with her, but the officers aren't letting us leave the building right now. We had already tried the exit through the window and sneak down the fire escape the day before, only to be met by undercover police looking like they were engineers "examining" said fire escape to make sure it wasn't faulty. As for just walking out the front door, we already got to see Officer Jacobsen acting as the doorman, well, in this case, doorwoman. As it's the weekend, Sunday now, to be precise, both Rosa and I had been expecting to go out and have some fun like any normal girls our age, maybe catch a movie or else go window shopping, but _no_, the law enforcers weren't having _any_ of that. They might have well just locked the two of us up in prison for yesterday and today; it would get the job done just as well!

In response, I sigh, "Well, at least we're still allowed to go to school on Monday, though I do admit that this _sucks_!"

"I know what you mean! Arrgh! I was hoping that... wait... they just said that we couldn't _leave_, right, Amy?" she simpers and I feel the air in the room grow stiff. Uh, oh, there's only one reason why she'd be smiling like that. She's plotting something. And it probably isn't something good. I swiftly decide to attempt to nip whatever it is she is planning in the bud, but she gets up and starts heading towards the direction of her room.

"Hey, Rosalya! Where are you going, and what's with the phone in your hand?"

She halts and turns to me, the same sickeningly sweet Cheshire cat grin on her face as she enigmatically declares, "I've got a couple of phone calls I need to make." before disappearing behind the door.

Minutes tick by before Rosa finally returns, humming to herself as she starts pulling out snacks from the pantry.

"Do I even want to know?" I question as I feel my palms growing sweaty, fearful of whatever it is she just did.

"Hmm? Don't fret your little head over it," Rosalya closes the door to the pantry and then heads towards the fridge. "But I'd recommend that you change into something cute."

"Okay?" I tilt my head to the side in wonderment, but comply with her suggestion and head to the spare room that I was staying in to change.

* * *

I am halfway through braiding my hair when I swear I hear the doorbell ringing from the apartment door.

"She didn't," I groan upon realizing that she more than likely called _everyone_ here. It was true, there was nothing that said we couldn't have friends over, but it just seems... well, a little underhanded to bring them here since we couldn't go to them. In any case, I finish fixing up my hair and decide to join them.

Huh. Apparently she only invited over Castiel and Lysander. And here I thought that Rosalya would get Nathaniel and the girls here too. Then again, Leigh did state that she usually hangs out with guys, and I've never really seen her around Nathaniel, so I guess this makes sense... wait, Leigh! Why isn't he- oh, that's right, he probably is busy down at the store with Homecoming being this upcoming Saturday. I finish collecting my thoughts, so I then greet my friends, "It's good to see you guys!"

"Always a pleasure to see you as well, Amy," Lysander addresses me, whereas Castiel gives a simple, "Hey," before they both turn to Rosalya.

"So, what did you call us down here for?" Castiel interrogates. "You said there was an emergency?"

"I said that?" Rosa acts innocent, making her golden eyes look larger while batting her eyelashes. "And here I thought I had just asked you boys to _please _hurry up because I wanted to see my good friends' lovely faces."

"If there really was an emergency, the both of us would like to know," Lysander expresses.

"Actually, you see, Amy and I are practically under house arrest, and we're bored," she admits.

I press my hand over my eyes and forehead, sighing, "Rosa..."

"Don't forget, this is all _your _fault, so don't blame me for livening things up!" Rosalya chirps.

"Wait, you two are living together?" Castiel questions the two of us, skepticism lacing his words.

"And just how is it Amy's fault, Rosa?" Lysander chimes in.

"I think I'm just going to leave the room..." I mutter as I head towards safety.

Unfortunately, Castiel notices and roughly grabs my shoulder, dragging me backwards while growling, "Don't think you're getting away so easily, little girl. We want answers, _now._"

I cringe in discomfort at the sudden weight of his hand on the still-unhealed injury that had been reopened thanks to the blonde diva on the first day of school, and I bite my lip hard so that I might not yelp from the severe pain.

"Castiel, not that shoulder!" Lysander yanks Castiel's hand off of my shoulder instinctively, relieving the pressure, but the unexpected action of Lysander's forces Castiel's fingers to dig into the concealed bandage and I feel the wound reopen yet again.

"What the _hell, _Lys?" Castiel snarls before realizing that I'm clutching at where his hand had been, wincing in pain. "...Oh."

"It's okay," I tell him as I note his unspoken apology in his stormy eyes though my voice wavers. "I'm... just going to get this cleaned up."

* * *

Back in the guest room, I take off the ruined bandage, clean and dress the wound, and then decide to change into something else, seeing as how one of my dresses got bloodied... again. I eventually decide on a white tank top and an orange layered skirt, but I then add a brown cardigan as an afterthought. Upon my return to the living room, Rosalya marches up to me.

"Oh come, on, you don't need a sweater, it's sooo hot in here!" she pulls it off before gasping. "Ah! I'm... sorry."

I try to hide my newly exposed flesh the best I can, but the damage has already been done, and I see both Castiel's and Lysander's eyes widen in surprise.

"What the-" Castiel starts to say, just as Lysander tries to inquire, "How did-"

Giving up, I uncover my arms and turn my head to the side, moving my lengthy bangs back so they could see the recent scars that mar my slightly pale skin. Knowing what it is they are afraid to ask, I begin by saying, "I was in an accident two Wednesdays ago."

Over the next hour, we all sit down and I tell them about everything that had happened, including my amnesia. I hadn't wanted to reveal that to them quite yet, as I had had no idea of how they would react to the news, but Rosa kind of spilled the beans on that one. Castiel had thought she was joking around at first, but upon realizing that she was serious, he gives me another silent apology and touches me gently on my arm, as if to convey that he worried, though wasn't about to express it in words. On the contrary, Lysander takes this news without hesitation, almost as if he had guessed a bit before I had revealed it, since it is the last thing I let them in the know about, and he takes a seat on the other side of me, since Castiel already occupied the one to my right, and he surreptitiously takes my hand into his, squeezing it slightly before letting it go. The proximity in between both of them is so close that I find myself feeling a little awkward, but I can't help but smile, considering how these two accepted me, despite my complete lack of knowledge regarding myself.

"So, about your safety," Rosa gets up off of the couch across from us and gets a piece of paper and a pen from her bag before sitting back down. "I'll need you to write your class schedule down on here." I do so immediately and hand it back to her. She scans it and then divulges, "You know, most of your classes you share with us."

"Yeah, I already noticed that..." I trail off.

"And the ones that you don't are kind of close to at least one of our scheduled classes' classrooms..." she continues. "I propose that as of tomorrow, for each of your classes, you'll be escorted by one of us!"

"Wait, what?!" I exclaim. I couldn't let them be placed in danger because of me! Officer Findlay had already done that, and now he was dead! These are my _friends, _my _high school _friends. If they were to get injured or killed...

"It's for your own good," Castiel asserts.

I glance over at Lysander, hoping that he'll talk some sense into the others, but he adds, "He's right, you know."

"Look. As much as I appreciate gesture, I can't let you all do this!" I plead with them.

"Because of Findlay, right?" Castiel acknowledges my fear, and I nod, tears threatening to spill from my eyes. "Well, regardless of what you say, we're _not _going to sit back and watch while you're in danger. Findlay knew what the consequences would be, and we do as well. You're our _friend_, and we're _not _going to let you go through this alone. Damn the consequences!"

The others agree, and I, moved by their determination, grudgingly allow them to do so. We spend the rest of our time together hanging out, just like a normal group of teenagers would. Leigh joins us once he gets off work, and we all watch movies late into the night before crashing in various locations throughout Rosalya's apartment.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, just started this after getting home from the hospital. Before any of you ask, I was just picking up my insomnia medication, though it more than likely won't do much this time thanks to something called built-up-immunity. _However, _it does put me to sleep earlier than I normally can, so I won't have to worry about passing out during the day.

Exciting news: Since I got to working on ATR earlier than normal, I _might_ have Chapter 9 out later in the morning as well, as I wrote down most of what I needed while on break at work. Right now, I have ideas for up to Chapter 25, and I am pretty much positive on who I'll be setting Amy up with, so I'll be curious to see what you guys guess throughout the upcoming installments!

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter in all of its expanding on Amy's primary group of friends, which of course will be growing in the later chapters!

Anyways, I would like to say thanks to all my readers as well as a special thanks, like always, to my reviewers of the last chapter: binaryguppy, CoreoftheCookie (sorry couldn't add the periods in, but it kept erasing the text...) , Exactlyamanda, Gossip Girl, Lazy Hero, and OceanTide. Without you guys, I wouldn't have gotten this chapter up as fast today. Reviewing inspires authors to work harder, which in turn leads to more updates, so please review! With that, I send you guys my love and hope to see you when the next chapter arrives!

-Ariana, a.k.a. erinyoukai

P.S. This entire series is now dedicated to everyone who is either affiliated somehow in the creation of it or else reads it. Thank you all for your continual support!


	10. Chapter 9: Getting By

**Chapter 9: Getting By**

Despite all that happens in life, the threads of fate will always bind things together, intertwining destinies, lives, and events all into one giant cycle. Yesterday, I was able to witness firsthand how much those that I can call my friends care for me. Just by being near me, they are putting their lives at risk, and I don't want a repeat tragedy of what had happened to Officer Findlay. I desperately want to beg them to not do this task of protecting me, for it may end in disaster. However, knowing that I am the reason why they have taken up this burden, and it is because they want to help me, I am unable to bring myself to confront them. It would be a grave insult to their feelings to try to talk them out of it, so for now, I will just refrain from commenting on the matter of their protection of me with them.

It is between classes, lunch break, to be precise, and despite the severe awkwardness upon waking up this morning, Castiel, Lysander, Rosa, and I are all hanging out together next to the first floor staircase like nothing had happened. Rosa had already bought each of us tickets to Homecoming and is in the middle of distributing them to us when suddenly, Castiel's cell phone starts ringing. He glances down at the caller ID and grimaces, his teeth grinding together.

"I'll catch you guys in a bit," he growls, a severe mixture of emotion spiraling out of control in his steel-colored eyes before he storms off.

I first look over to Rosa, who shrugs her shoulders with indifference, as if to say, "Don't worry, he gets like this often."

Seeking answers, I turn to Lysander, who says nothing, though concern for his best friend is written on his face as he reaches for something in his satchel. Not seeming to find what it is he is looking for, and going so far as to empty the contents and reorganize them as he replaces them, Lysander apologizes to us, "I'm terribly sorry, but I do believe that I am unable to locate my notes for my next class. For now, I shall take my leave as well, if you two ladies don't mind."

The two of us shake our heads no, but as he leaves, Rosa sighs, as if this happens all the time. I catch her eye, a look of question in mind, so she elaborates, "They're always like this, so you'll have to get used to the both of them. Castiel has a tendency to give into his emotions quite easily and is known around here for having a bad temper. However, as I'm sure you already know, he also can be very nice, though somewhat sarcastic, and overly protective of his friends, though he doesn't express this kinder side of him through words. As for Lysander, he loses track of everything under the sun, from his notebooks and bag to his car in the parking lot. It's kind of weird, considering that he's fairly intelligent for our grade level, but him always losing things is the norm."

"Um, okay..." I take in the new information. "By the way, thanks for purchasing my dress the other day while you guys were waiting for me to get back. I really appreciate it."

"Any time! It's just lucky that we had already pooled our money together and that you handed me your dress before you got yourself in trouble," Rosalya smiles, as she checks over her planner. Her expression abruptly changing to panic, she cries out, "Ah! I'm sorry, but I completely forgot but I have to go take some pictures to the staff room so that they'll be able to get them into the newsletter before the deadline!"

"So, what am I supposed to do then?" I ask. The staff room, as I had read on the first day, is explicitly for teachers. The only time students were allowed there is when they are doing something for one of them. Rosa has an excuse for going, but I do not, so I would not be able to enter, leaving me on my own.

She contemplates this, coming up with, "Well, though I wouldn't tell the boys this... I would wait right down the hall. There's a lot of people congregated over there, and if you need assistance, the student council room is right there as well. It shouldn't take me too long, so I'll just be in and out and back to you before anyone even notices!"

Though I highly doubt that, I adhere to her wishes and we part ways so she might finish her errand. I stand alone, my backpack slung over my uninjured shoulder, as I watch the various students that pass by in their own little posses. The atmosphere around them is so casual, so... normal and carefree, like what a high school experience should be like. I contemplate whether or not I might look like they do when I am around those most precious to me when I am approached by a boy I do not know.

He has mousy brown hair that is shaped into a bowl cut, and his eyes are hidden by a pair of dorky looking glasses. He is wearing a baggy green sweater with a plum colored horizontal stripe running across it and a pair of jeans. Most people may consider this type of individual to be a "nerd", but I would almost bet that should he cut his hair, replace his glasses with either contacts or a more stylized pair, and then changed his wardrobe to something more fitted, the results would blow the minds of pretty much everyone, though I think he looks fine just as he is. I've never seen this kid in my life, but he belts out, with obvious familiarity, "Amy, I'm so glad I finally caught you!" At my shocked silence, he introduces himself, "I'm sorry if I scared you. My name's Ken, and I wanted to know if you could go to Homecoming with me!"

I am completely caught off guard, and I don't want to completely hurt his feelings, so I disclose, "Um, I-I apologize, but I already p-promised some of my group of f-friends that I'd go with them." At his crestfallen face, I add in, "B-but if you want to h-hang out sometime, I w-wouldn't mind. I-I could always use a-another person who's there for me."

Immediately, his expression does a 180, and I can almost declare under oath that I see hearts forming on his glasses as he shrieks, "Thank you! You are so kindhearted!" before dashing off in the direction of the garden. I smile. Perhaps it is through his caring that helps those beautiful, vibrant flowers grow. Cultivating plants is a gift that not many are blessed with. I certainly do not have that, especially with how many things are on my plate as is, so I appreciate those that both have the time and enjoy what it is they do.

"Well, well, what do we have here, girls?" I am distracted from my thoughts by a malicious voice. Great. It's them again. Did I ever do anything to them to start this feud? Nope, I can't recall anything, though my pushing of the ringleader aside the other day probably didn't win me any popularity points with them. "So, looks like you're getting cozy with that dweeb. I'm happy for you. It looks like you finally have your eyes set on what you deserve."

Now that was going too far. She could pick on me, as I know that there's conflict between us already, but dragging in someone unrelated? Has she no class? Angrily, I bravely retort, "Could it hurt you to be nice for once? What did Ken ever do to you? This is something between you and me. This has nothing to do with Ken, so leave him out of it! Despite what he might look like, he's still a cut above you, as he's a better person on the inside!"

Me and my big mouth. As soon as those words leave my lips, the princess lets out a shrill cry before raising her hand to slap me. I close my eyes, bracing myself for the impact of her palm across my cheek, but it never comes.

Cautiously, I open my eyes, and am stunned to see Nathaniel standing there, holding the girl's wrist back, restraining her from hitting me. "That's enough, Amber," he states, an icy venom that is uncharacteristic for him behind every word.

"But Nathaniel," this "Amber" girl wails.

"I said that's enough!" he then faces me, and without losing the chilliness in his tone, states, "Amy, I'll need you to step into the student council room. We need to have a little conversation." Not wanting to anger him, I follow his direction and take a seat at the table, waiting for him to come in. After he retreats into the room, I see him sigh, his face almost turning blue, before he tells me, "I'm sorry on behalf of my sister. She can be quite the handful when she's with her friends."

"Oh, there's no need to... wait, s-she's your sister!" I almost fall off of the chair. "Sorry, I didn't realize..."

"It's okay. Since you're new, I wouldn't expect you to know," he responds. "But anyways, I was wondering how you've been doing."

"How I've been doing?" I have absolutely no idea what he might be talking about, unless he means if I am adjusting well to the school.

"I heard about Agatha," Nathaniel says, remorse in his golden gaze. "Since she's your aunt and all, it must be difficult to hear about her winding up in the hospital because of some crazy gunman in another town."

So that was what the police had told the press. Probably a good thing to know. After all, the police don't want the average everyday person finding out the full extent of my case, and as far as the public knows, and going off of what my school record shows as well, I am simply Amy, and I have been sent from another town to live with my aunt here in Amoris. However, that doesn't mean that my emotions are not genuine when my face falls and I reply, "Yeah, it really is hard for me to think about, or even comprehend." Wanting to change the subject, I pull the book he had lent me last Friday during chemistry out of my bag and hand it to him. "By the way, I finished this."

He takes the book from my outstretched hand and gives me a smile. "So how did you like it?"

"I thought it was amazing! I had absolutely no idea that Edgar Allan Poe had written anything other than poetry!" I gush. Despite the strange glances that I had received at the hospital from picking up poetry books of all things and reading them right alongside the other literature, Edgar Allan Poe turned out to be one of my favorite poets, and to learn that he also wrote melancholic, strange tales and dark, sinister mysteries just placed him at or near the top of my favorite authors list.

Nathaniel appears relieved, as if perhaps he worried that I wouldn't enjoy it, as he comments, "I know, right? Today, people credit Edgar Allan Poe as being the inventor of the detective novel, and even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is believed to have based his Sherlock Holmes novels off of him! Wait, you might not know..."

"Sherlock Holmes?!" I jump out of my chair excitedly. "I thought that he was just a character for a television show!"

"No, he was originally from the novels that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle penned back in the late 1800's. Here, I brought a collection of them with me today," he exchanges the book I had just given him with a much bulkier one and offers it to me. As I take it, our hands touch for the briefest of seconds, and I almost recoil from the sudden warmth of his fingertips against my constantly frigid ones. Apparently, he is surprised as well, remarking, "Sorry to change topics on you,but , it's only going to be getting much colder outside, so make sure you take good care of yourself. You haven't been in Amoris during the wintertime, have you?"

Obviously I had not, or at least, I couldn't remember having done so, so I shyly answer, "This is the first time... I hadn't even officially met Auntie Tata before last week."

"I see," Nathaniel starts picking up whatever it is he had been working on before the commotion outside interrupted him, so I know it is close to the end of the lunch period. "Well, you're in for a real treat! Let's just hope that it won't be snowing any time soon. October is still a little early in my mind..." he breaks off as the bell chimes, announcing to all students that it was now time to start heading for the classrooms again. "Ah, it's time for us to go. Would you mind if I walked you to history? You are in the classroom next to mine after all."

"Okay!" I can't help but smile as I get to my feet and walk with him outside.

* * *

As we make our way towards class together, we talk about everything from our chemistry homework to the different activities that can be done in town. It's really pleasant chatting with him, especially since he treats me like a normal girl. Of course he would, not knowing about my situation, but considering how protective my regular group turned out to be, this is a welcome change of pace. We are just down the hall from where our respective classes are located when I hear a furious Castiel from behind me. Oops... he was the one that was supposed to escort me according to the plan, but I had completely forgotten thanks to all the drama of the past almost half an hour.

"Nathaniel, just what the fuck are you doing with Amy?" he snarls as he dashes between the two of us, pushing me away while leering at the guy I had just been having a nice conversation with. The tension in the air becomes so thick I can imagine cutting it with a knife, as Castiel approaches Nathaniel, one hand clenched into a fist, body shaking in rage.

"Well, Castiel, Amy and I were just walking to class together, until you so kindly interrupted," Nathaniel retorts, taking a step backwards.

Uh, oh, for some reason, I sense an absolute hatred between these two, something so intense that it could spiral out of control quickly. I know that I can't help in this situation at all, especially considering that I am what they are fighting over, so I start scanning the people in the crowd that had started to gather, silently beseeching someone to do something.

"So this is where you have been, Amy," Lysander's voice rings in my ears, and I break down crying in relief just by seeing him, as he has always been the moderator and could solve any problem that has presented itself thus far, so it stood to reason that he just might be able to help here too.

"A-Ah, Lysander! I-I'm so h-happy you're h-here... C-Castiel and N-Nathaniel, t-they just..." feeling helpless, I start to break down more while talking before I am taken aback by him holding a finger to my lips and with his free hand, pulling me close to him.

My tears stop flowing almost immediately and I quiet down as he reassures me, "Do not fret, everything will be just fine. Please allow me to handle things from here."

Lysander relinquishes me and makes his way towards Castiel and Nathaniel, the former having just pushed the latter up against the wall. The next series of events happens so quickly that my mind doesn't even have time to fully register them, but I make out Castiel lashing out with his fist towards Nathaniel, and then the next thing that I'm aware of is him drawing back, his eyes dilating in horror upon realizing that he has hit Lysander in the chest instead. Castiel releases Nathaniel, and hastens to brace Lysander on one of his shoulders, who is gasping for air, struggling to breathe.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Drats! I had hoped to finish this before, but I added way more material to this chapter than what I was expecting to. So, yeah, I'm happy that I had had a head start on this chapter this morning, or else I would've never finished it tonight. Sorry to leave you with a cliffhanger, but since I'll probably update again within a day, it shouldn't be that bad, right? Oh, speaking of updates, just to let everyone know, I probably won't be updating on Fridays, seeing as how those are the days of the week that my fiance and I have set aside just to relax, hang out, and enjoy ourselves. Since I don't get home until 2:30 a.m. on those nights, I think you can understand. Anyways, like every chapter before now, thank you to all my readers and to reviewers of the last chapter, binaryguppy, CoreoftheCookie, and Gossip Girl. Have a happy Thursday, hope to see you here for the next installment, and remember to review if you want me to post the next part faster!


	11. Chapter 10: Comforting Torment

**Chapter** **10: Comforting Torment**

I am only vaguely aware of everything going on around me as Castiel and I help Lysander to the nurse's office, one of us on each side, bracing him as he tries, but fails to breathe normally. To see him helpless, completely reliant on Castiel and me to aid him, when it has always been he who has been our solid ground to stand on, the one who has allowed our own intricacies to come first rather than his, and the one who has been the steadfast comrade that we can entrust to make even the worst of situations more favorable, I question how he could even consider us to be his friends, when we have only fed off of the support he provides without even considering what his needs might be. How could we have let such a petty argument spiral out of control to the point where someone who had no reason to get involved, yet did so anyways in order to try to fix things on _my _behalf, become reduced to such a debilitated state?

Upon reaching our destination, the nurse ushers us inside to drop him off before practically throwing us out, under the pretense of, "You have to let me work!" With those words, she makes me feel sick to my stomach. Lysander had been allowed to wait for me while she had bandaged my arm up just last week, and now she won't even let us wait for five minutes to see if he'd be all right. I understand that his situation is much more serious than mine was, since irregular breathing is a bigger deal than a gash on the shoulder, but even still, to just force us to leave without knowing us whether or not he'd be able to breathe normally again on his own or have to go to the hospital is kind of, at least in my mind... not right.

Though I worry greatly about Lysander, as I head back to class in silence with Castiel at my side, I also feel a great deal of concern for him. Though he shouldn't have made the fight physical in the first place, Castiel never meant for Lysander to intervene and take the blow that was meant for Nathaniel. I can only imagine what pain he must feel, to know that he caused his best friend to almost collapse from inability to breathe. Indeed, as I look over in his direction, surveying the emotional damage that has marred him, there is remorse in his eyes as he pretends (not very well, I might add) that there is absolutely nothing the matter with him. For now though, I decide to let him mull things over. He and I can talk later once things have settled down a bit and we know that Lysander is stable.

We enter our history class, and everyone in there goes silent as they stare at Castiel. He growls, daring them to say anything as he takes a seat in the back of the room. Obviously not brave enough to ask Castiel, Mr. Faraize turns to me and asks, "So, um... about Lysander..."

"...W-we don't know," my voice quivers as I try not to think about how all the people in class, other than the teacher and Castiel are now whispering among each other, probably formulating rumors about the ordeal. Not wanting to hear about it, I sit next to Castiel, who glances at me briefly, probably wondering why I'd willingly be seated next to him, before he folds his arms across his chest and turns his attention to Mr. Faraize.

"Okay, um, class, settle down," Mr. Faraize instructs as he starts pulling out a cluttered jumble of papers from his desk. Though the students do not do so immediately, when they finally stop conversing and are paying attention, Mr. Faraize continues, "Um, as of today, it is my pleasure to announce that we will have a foreign exchange student joining us." The clamor is deafening as everyone, the girls especially, start shouting questions about said foreign exchange student at Mr. Faraize. As much as he tries to quiet them down, they refuse to do so before the door opens.

"Excuse me, this would be Mr. Faraize's history class, correct?" My eyes are the size of saucers as I see Lucien saunter into the room, today sporting the latest Armani fashion and wearing an authentic pair of LV Evasion sunglasses, though still in all black. _He's _the foreign exchange student? My mind reels at the thought before considering that perhaps he's just working undercover for the police, seeing as how they had mentioned that they would have people tailing me at all times, and Lucien being of a similar age to me puts him at an advantage of being able to slip in unnoticed, though I wonder why he would draw attention to himself by being garbed in such expensive designer clothes. Just upon this intrusion into our classroom, the grapevine starts up yet again, and I sigh while thinking about how my friends will react if they discover Lucien's role in rescuing me.

He speaks to Mr. Faraize briefly before introducing himself to the classroom, "Good afternoon. My name is Lucien, and I'm pleased to meet all of you. I'm sure we'll all just get along nicely, but I'd ask you to please refrain from touching my person unnecessarily." At that comment, he appears to be looking directly at a gaggle of girls who had been slowly inching their way towards him. "Thank you for your cooperation and I hope we can be friends." With that, a cool smile graces his features as he slides into the desk next to mine. "By the way, it's nice to see you again, Amy."

* * *

For the rest of the school day, I keep close to Castiel while Lucien tags along, not seeming to realize how Castiel mutters under his breath about not wanting to have to put up with all of this um, "bullshit", as he quickens his pace. I struggle to keep up with him until I hear Rosalya from down the hall, calling out to us.

"Hey, there you guys are!" Castiel halts his progress of trying to escape Lucien's presence, and Lucien and I stop as well to allow Rosa to approach us. After making her way through the hordes of people trying to exit the school, she finally makes it to us. "Oh, and who might this be?"

"You can call me Lucien," Lucien offers. "Rosalya, I presume?"

Apparently him already knowing her name catches her off-guard, as she stumbles over her words, "Uh, yeah... How did you know?"

"I have my ways," he chuckles, as if telling a joke that only he might understand.

Just then, Castiel interrupts, "Rosa, you can handle things from here. I'm off."

At his retreating figure, Rosalya and Lucien look at each other questioningly. I hesitate for a second before announcing, "I'm going to follow him. I'll catch you two later!" I hear them cry out my name as I chase after Castiel, losing sight of him amidst the crowds, but I figure I know where he's heading to, so I head to the rooftop. He's been stressed out all day, starting with that strange phone call. I wonder who might that have been, and what might have transpired during the call that had made him so irritable. Perhaps that was why he had picked a fight with Nathaniel. Wrong place, wrong time? Apparently that wasn't the first time it had happened, judging by Nathaniel's reaction, so I'm curious as to why there is so much animosity in between them. If I could, I'd like to help them realize that they could potentially be friends, though that might take quite some time...

I slip in through the door that I had the other day, head up the staircase, and open the door to the roof. As I had expected, he is standing there, back facing me as he gazes out at the horizon. Without even turning around, he states, "So you followed me."

I approach him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Of course. You're my friend and I'm worried about you."

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about Lysander? He's the one in the nurse's office and all..." his eyes narrow as he shrugs my hand off of him.

"Yes, I'm distraught over his condition, but I can't do anything about that right now," I admit. "However, I also know that you've been out of sorts all day as well, starting with that phone call. Would your temper have escalated if you hadn't received it? None of us can say for sure, but needless to say, I can't blame you for what happened, especially considering that you did not mean to cause harm to Lysander. If anyone should be blamed, it should be me."

"Because you asked him to intervene? He would have intervened regardless of whether you had said something or not. That's just the way he is," Castiel turns towards me, and I can tell that he truly thinks that my presence had nothing to do with the incident. For some reason, being able to perceive that his true thoughts are regarding the matter makes me feel as though a burden has been lifted from my shoulders. Castiel then continues, "Anyways, I shouldn't have tried to punch Nathaniel. Despite how much negativity there is between us... well, I should have known that Lysander would be there."

"Regardless of what you might believe, the fact of the matter is that you didn't and lost control. If you feel like you need to punish yourself, I'd suggest you go talk to Lysander first. If he forgives you, then there's no reason for the condemnation. If not, then you just apologize!" I express, hoping that he might be able to understand my logic.

He contemplates this before acknowledging, "There is something to what you say, I guess. C'mon, we should at least check on Lys." Castiel starts to head towards the door, but then pauses and glances at me. Though I might not know a lot about him yet, I still am able to read the "Thanks" in his eyes as the two of us walk downstairs.

* * *

We are halfway to the nurse's office and by the lockers when we bump into Rosalya and Leigh, who are picking up Lysander's books. We greet them, of course, before Castiel gets to the point.

"So, about Lysander?"

Leigh sighs, chocolate colored eyes weary, "He's getting himself checked out in the hospital, but he should be fine. I never thought I'd have to see him like that again though..." He adds the last remark under his breath as he subconsciously touches the back of his neck.

Not missing a beat, Rosalya interrupts, "Wait, _again_? What do you mean by 'again'?"

Leigh shakes his head, "Ah, it appears that I've said too much. I apologize, but that is for my brother to elaborate on, not I." Refusing to discuss the matter any more, he finishes placing the books in a bag and bids us adieu.

"Hmm, I'll see you guys later too," Rosa muses. "If I can pry it out of him, I'll be sure to call you two!"

"Sheesh, that girl..." Castiel shakes his head. "Well, it looks like there's no point in going to the nurse's office, is there?"

"No, evidently not..." I answer. "Um, so, I take it you'll be escorting me to the hospital then?"

"It's not like I have anything better to do," he says as we head towards the entrance of the school. "And knowing your luck, you'll probably get mugged if you go alone."

"Hey, it's not like I ask for trouble, it just happens!" I retort.

Castiel smirks at my angry expression and responds in jest, "Perhaps you attract trouble because you have to make up for your childish appearance not attracting guys." With that, he runs off ahead, and I sprint after him, half fuming and half amused by his remark. Though I don't really comprehend the idea of me being able to attract members of the opposite sex, I do know that I am slightly offended at the thought that I couldn't if I wanted to. However, from what I know about Castiel, he's just doing this to get a reaction out of me since we're friends. Happily, I oblige.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hello, everyone! Sorry for the late post, hopefully that won't happen again, but unfortunately life has a way of interfering when you don't want it to. On another note, I hope you're enjoying all the tension going on as much as I am while I'm writing it! I'd like to point out as a reminder that I'm still open to OC's if you want to send me some of your own for me to put in as kind of like a cameo. Right now, the only registered user on here that has done so is binaryguppy, though I've had a few come to me from people I know personally (you know who you are) as well. I invite you to take a leaf out of their book and do so too! If you would like to do this, either send me a PM on here or on my MCL account, erinyoukai. I give a special thanks to those who do this, as that will help for future events that will be happening in the story. Like always, I'd like to thank you, my readers, for your continued support in taking the time to read through my work-in-progress here, and especially to those that review: AliceXxX, Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy, CoreoftheCookie, OceanTide, and an anonymous guest being the reviewers of the last chapter. Reviewing makes me work harder on completing the next chapter, so please review!


	12. Chapter 11: Interlude

**Chapter 11: Interlude**

**Lucien's POV**

The sun is achingly irritable, branding its mark across my flesh as I speed off towards the church on my Kawasaki bike. Today is the day that we shall lay that officer to rest. Needless to say, the weather doesn't seem to mourn him, but perhaps his soul lingers still. The phrases "Don't cry for me," and "Just keep moving forward," come to my mind as I envision what words he might say if he were able. Considering what type of man he was, this weather may be his way of consoling those he has left behind. With the vivid hues that brighten up the surroundings upon this day, I wouldn't put it past him to have influenced this atmosphere.

Clangs of an iron bell can be heard tolling as I enter the cathedral, standing in the back so as to not disturb the others who are present. Each monotonous ring that hits my ears sends a shiver down my spine as I recall another funeral from just under a week and a half ago of another man who had died well before his time. Both had been cruelly murdered in cold blood, and yet it is unlikely that anyone should stand trial for these most heinous crimes, for the one who had more than likely killed them both was one who could not be prosecuted by normal means. Though I am loathe to admit it, there will be more victims before all is said and done. What sacrifices will be made? That I may not know, but needless to say, everyone involved will be affected sooner or later.

From the melancholic air in the room, I taste the saltiness of tears. To cry here is natural; to not is to be heartless. _That one_ has forced me to be the latter. Perhaps when I was younger and more naive, I would have wept as much as the broken family, but those times have long since passed into obscurity. _She _is lucky to not remember the horrors within the life she had known before this town, as it would surely break her. Despite the hopes and dreams that children in our scenario may have, eventually, they shall be ripped away, one by one in the most brutal way possible until there is no longer anything left. That one will _never _let her be as long as she survives, so until the day comes where I am no longer able to do so, the day on which she chooses her future, I will protect her like I had promised.

A terribly sweet scent assaults my nose as incense is burned in remembrance to the fallen and I wonder briefly if the cloying stench is overpowering so that the dead might be able to partake in its numbing aroma. But this is just me being hopeful. Those who have truly passed on do not interfere in the lives of others anymore. Why should they have to concern themselves with the ones who are still waiting for death to claim them? All things in life fade, until there is not even a shadow of what once had existed. _That _is what that one had taught me. It is an abhorrent truth, but a truth nonetheless. But regardless, as we live, we must use the time we are allotted wisely. Everything is fleeting, but should we not try to make the world better for what is to come? That one will never understand this concept, for that one is possessed by a lust for partaking in activities that only benefit the instigator. Greed truly is a monster.

As the crowd disperses to move to the outside, the service finished, I spot before me "Amy", as she calls herself now, meandering towards a rather... unique vehicle. She is despondent, and an expression of disbelief is written across her face. Her mind is more than likely chaotic, not knowing how to respond to the emotions that have been welling up inside of her. Under normal circumstances, I would question her on whether this funeral had forced her to recall anything of the events that had led up to her amnesia, but for now, I will leave her be. She is incoherent in regards to her surroundings, and I doubt that she could even form an intelligible sentence right now. Officer Findlay was a father figure to her, as I understand, and he was also the lead investigator on her case. It is of no surprise to me that her behavior is what it is. A female officer helps her into the car. If I remember correctly, she is the late officer's partner, Officer Jacobsen, I believe? Another woman gets into the VW, this one I believe to be the one who usually would dress as a fairy. To see her in regular attire is odd, but to be expected. According to the police reports, she had been there when the man had died, and she had been in the hospital for the past few days recovering. Unfortunately, she had not seen her attacker, as she had fainted upon getting struck by a bullet. Security around her and "Amy" has been upped, of course, yet "Amy" is still to attend school like a normal girl in order to "keep her sane", whatever that is supposed to mean. In the chaos of this world, is anyone truly sane?

Before I put my helmet on to leave, I check my surroundings to make sure no one is around before I remove my sunglasses and gaze into the mirror of my motorcycle. I am never caught without my shades on, for to do so would be to allow someone to have access to gaze into the depths of my being. Like always, as I look upon my reflection, it crosses my mind that my eyes are so... hideous. They are a warning of danger for those who come near. They are the aggression of one who will not stop seeking answers. They are the burning essence of that which fuels me. But above all else, they are a perfect reflection of the blood that has been and will be sacrificed by those closest to me.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, this will more than likely be the only instance in which the chapter is not in Amy's POV, so I hope you enjoyed reading this rather short, but revealing chapter. Now that the funeral is out of the way, you should all know what's coming up next... Homecoming! Right now, you should expect at least two chapters, if not three, dedicated to this event, as there will be a lot of material being covered. As always, I give my thanks to you, my readers, as well as to those who reviewed the last chapter: binaryguppy, CoreoftheCookie, Exactlyamanda, Gossip Girl, Lazy Hero, OceanTide, and Psycho-Deliah. Without them, there's no way I would continue writing into the early hours of morning for each chapter, so please take the time to review like they did!

- Ariana/erinyoukai


	13. Chapter 12: Preparation

**Chapter 12: Preparation**

At last, Saturday is here. The past few days have been a blur, and I feel like I haven't seen most of my friends in a while. Officer Findlay's funeral was on Tuesday, of course, so I wasn't in class that day. Rosa has been busy settling paperwork so that she might be able to run a photography booth at the dance, Lysander's been out sick, Castiel's been out on suspension, though he thankfully is still allowed to come today since his suspension ended on Friday, and Melody and Nathaniel have been stretched to the limit since they are in charge of running any and all school activities, including Homecoming. The only people I've really gotten to talk to have been Iris, Ken, Lucien, and Violette. The four of us had hung out in the garden on Wednesday, with Ken maintaining the flowers in his own klutzy, yet cute way, Lucien aiding Ken by fixing up the gardening equipment, Violette sketching the clouds, and Iris and I discussing the Halloween party, considering that it's now less than two weeks away. She had informed me that it would be a costume party, so I should dress up for the occasion. But that was a few days ago. Today, I finally got the chance to hang out with Rosalya, so that has been nice. Everyone else should be showing up soon so we can eat before we head to the dance.

I am interrupted from attempting to apply makeup when I hear Rosa's voice ask, "So, how's everything coming?" After setting the dreaded container down, I spin the swivel chair I am sitting in around to find her entering the guest room. She takes in my appearance, her eyes lingering an extra second on my hair before she raises an eyebrow,"Wait, why do you have your hair in your regular braid?"

Having the right hairstyle wasn't something I really had considered as nothing had been said to me about doing something different with it, but of course, knowing Rosa, she won't let any excuse slide at all. She had been the one to tell me that I should put on makeup and then fix my hair, so I just braided it like normal and then tried to figure out what this 'mascara' is supposed to be. With the first thing that comes to mind, I answer, "Um... it's comfortable?"

As expected, she frowns slightly before saying, "Don't be silly, we're going to a dance! You're supposed to make yourself look a bit different and enhance your beauty beyond what's normal for you... though you did do a good job with applying the cosmetics. Here, at least let me try to fix your hair!" Rosalya unties the ribbon at the end of my braid. She runs her hand through my hair, but just when I'm cringing and expecting pain in my scalp, she stops. "Huh, you know, you could probably get away with having your hair down like this."

I take a gander at my reflection in the mirror and note that by having had my hair in a braid and then taking it out, my locks now had a much more wavy, almost curly appearance. It is quite the difference from their usual slightly wavy but mostly straight look, but I kind of like it, voicing my opinion, "All right, I think I'll leave it like this if you don't mind. It's... nice."

"Well, thank goodness that's settled. Iris just got here and the guys should be here soon. You can't be seen unprepared for the dance!" Rosalya exclaims as she quickly sprays hairspray over my hair.

"Hey, Amy," Iris greets as she walks in. I notice that her hair is pulled back in some kind of twist. Judging by this, apparently hairstyles do matter at formal dances and it's not just Rosa overreacting. I feel kind of stupid for not realizing this before, but hey, at least I'll know for the next time, if there is a next time, that is.

"Good to see you, Iris!" I smile, though something catches me off guard. "Wait, isn't Violette supposed to be coming over here too?"

"Yeah, that's right! Wasn't she supposed to come with you?" Rosa adds, twisting a loose strand of her hair around her finger.

"Well, actually," Iris begins to speak. "Yesterday, Violette informed me that she was going to go with a friend she had met who goes to a different school."

"Ooh, a friend, you say?" I can practically envision Rosa internally drooling at the information, though the extent of her interest is shown only through her coy grin. "What kind of friend?"

Iris looks a bit confused, but responds, "I don't really know, to be honest, but I don't think it was an excuse for her not to go, considering that she already got a dress for the occasion and all."

Rosa looks like she's about to ask for more details, but she is silenced temporarily by the sound of Castiel loudly arguing while heading up the stairs. "It looks like the guys are here. I wonder what Cas is so angry about though..."

The three of us head out to the entryway, and it isn't long before Castiel practically breaks down the door, Lysander following, trying to calm him down, and Leigh trailing behind looking like he really didn't want to be affiliated with Castiel right now. It's very strange to see Castiel dressed up formally, but for Lysander and Leigh, since they usually wear formal clothes, there's not too big of a difference, though their attire is more decorative.

"Castiel, it probably wasn't-" Lysander's words are cut off when Castiel turns towards me.

"What the _fuck_, Amy? Why did you run away like that?" Castiel's tone is biting, and I cringe, though I have absolutely no idea what he might be talking about.

"Um, what's going on?" I ask while tilting my head to the side.

There is an awkward moment of silence before Castiel sheepishly mutters, "So it wasn't you then..."

"What do you mean, it wasn't me?" Whatever happened, it must have really bothered him, so I want to know so we can sort it out.

Castiel glances over at Lysander, who turns to me and explains, "We're sorry to trouble you with this matter, but when we were stopping by a restaurant to pick up some food for all of us, we saw a girl across the street. From behind, she looked exactly like you, Amy, so Castiel called out to her. Though she turned her head and looked at us as though she knew we were addressing her, she ran off without saying a word before we could make full contact."

"But that's impossible!" Rosalya cries out. "Amy's been with me since I picked her up at 8:00 this morning! We haven't even left the apartment since lunchtime!"

"Well, I suppose since we didn't get to see the girl's eyes very well... it may not be anything." Castiel mumbles before falling silent. We stand there, looking at each other as though trying to think of what to say next.

We are saved from the silence by Leigh changing the subject, inquiring, "So, who's hungry?"

* * *

We sit down in order to eat, but I can't even bring myself to take a bite of food. I look over to my friends and see Rosalya and Leigh being very... lovey-dovey, I think is the term for it, and Iris is conversing with Castiel and Lysander, though Castiel only seems half-aware of the conversation. He's probably contemplating exactly what I am: who is the girl that he saw and why did she run when called by my name? Could it be someone from my past or someone who is out to cause me harm? Why would someone even try to look like me in the first place? And better yet, how would this girl have known my name? Or was it just that Castiel startled her? For all I know, this could just be a... coincidences don't exist. Everything happens for a reason. Wait, where did those thoughts come...

* * *

_A memory hits me suddenly as I wrack my brain for answers. I am somewhere in my early teens, thirteen, maybe fourteen? I am sitting alone in what appears to be a library, reading through some rather thick reference books._

_"At it again?" I hear a male voice from above me. I look up and my eyes find a young man, probably a few years older than me addressing me. Judging by his features, I would guess that he must be my brother. After all, he looks really similar to mom with those violet eyes. "So, what is it this time, the Encyclopedia Britannica?"_

_"Father asked me to memorize these," I sigh as I put the book down after marking the page._

_My brother shakes his head in disbelief, "The old man, huh? Bastard needs to pull that stick out of his-"_

_"Brother!" I am startled by his language._

_"Sorry, I just can't stand the guy, you know that," he ruffles my hair amid my protests. "Sure he took us in when mom died, but there's just something about the entire thing that's a bit... off."_

_"What do you mean?" I gaze up at him innocently, my eyes sparkling and my lips forming a slight pout._

_He exhales as he hits his hand against his forehead, "You shouldn't have to deal with this, considering your age, but there's something that I want you to remember, okay?"_

_"Okay?" I agree, though it is more of a question than an answer._

_My brother leans down so that he is right next to my ear. I can feel his breath on my cheek as he whispers, "Nothing that happens in our family is a coincidence. Everything happens for a reason and is connected if you look hard enough. But ask too many questions, and you'll find yourself somewhere that you can't escape. I... oh, never mind."_

_I am curious to know what it is he was about to say, but he does not elaborate as he walks over to one of the ornate windows inlaid with cast-iron, peering outside with a longing look in his eyes._

_"Abel!" I call out to him to get his attention._

_He recoils, apparently not remembering that I was standing right there, before grinning, "So, calling me by my full name, huh? Am I still allowed to call you 'Amy' or have you outgrown it?"_

_"Amy will do," I giggle as I run up to him and hug him. "I'm not all grown up yet."_

_"You better not be," he laughs, before taking on a more serious tone. "If I find out you've got yourself a boyfriend..."  
_

_"I know, I know, you'll teach him a lesson to not mess around with your baby sister. You've said that many a time before," I grab his hand as the dinner bell sounds and lead him towards the dining room. "But that doesn't mean I won't eventually fall for someone."_

_"Can you blame me for hoping you won't?" Abel's expression turns wistful, as if remembering a love he might have once had. "But regardless, that's enough of that for now. I'll protect you though, I promise you, and if I can't..." he trails off._

* * *

Upon blinking, I find myself back in Rosalya's apartment. The others are still immersed in there conversations, unaware that anything had just happened, so I head to the guest room to rest for a while in order to clear my thoughts. Abel, my older brother: where was he now? He had looked as though he wanted to leave and escape the life we were living. I wonder if he made it out okay. If I had an older brother, could I possibly have had other siblings too? My nickname was apparently Amy, which may have influenced me subconsciously, I guess, to choose that name to go by now. If I had a sister, could it be she that the guys had seen? She could have known of my shortened name and so by Castiel calling out to her, she turned in response automatically. But how could I find her? Musing over these thoughts, I barely even notice my name being called by the others in order to leave for the highly anticipated Homecoming.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, for those of you who play the French version... Episode 16... Sorry, I got a bit distracted by some memories there. In writing ATR and then playing MCL, I really start thinking back on how high school was like for me, which of course, leads to more ideas for ATR, and then to more sleepless nights. Such a vicious cycle, isn't it?

That aside, I hope you don't mind that I've been taking a bit longer than normal to post, but I discovered something weird: somewhere between me saving my chapters that I type up in Word and then uploading it to Doc Manager, some of the words that I have in the document are lost during the conversion, making for strange grammar and sentences randomly broken off. I noticed this just before posting the last chapter, so I've been going back through the other chapters to fix them while making sure this one did not have that problem. I'd like to give a special thanks to Psycho-Deliah for pointing out that something was up to me.

In any case, I hope you have enjoyed the first part of Homecoming, even though them being at the dance isn't until next time! Thanks, as always, to you, who read my work, as well as to those who review: Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy, CoreoftheCookie, Exactlyamanda, Gossip Girl, Lazy Hero, OceanTide, and obviously, Psycho-Deliah for reviewing the last chapter! Reviews are integral to me updating as frequently as I do, so please take the time to do so!


	14. Chapter 13: Horrors of HS Homecoming

**Chapter 13: The Horrors of High School Homecoming**

"Welcome to Homecoming!" Melody greets us, cheerful as can be. Since she is a delegate and apparently one of her duties as such is to stay up front the entire night to ensure that there is a 'help desk' of sorts, she has an excuse to be with Nathaniel all evening, and of course, she likes him, so perhaps that is the reason behind her chipper mood.

"Evening, Melody," I acknowledge her as the rest of the group says hello. Her attitude makes even the worst of the clouds hanging over my head go away, and for that I am grateful.

Melody informs us, "Anyways, you should hand your tickets to Nathaniel so he can check you all off of the list. Oh, and before you ask, Rosalya, yes, Violette already got here, and she's with a guy."

Rosa waves us on ahead as she pulls Melody aside to hear the rest of the news, Leigh staying behind to wait for her, and I gulp as the rest of us head over towards Nathaniel, keeping an eye on Castiel, noticing him starting to clench his fists, but then looking over at Lysander and stopping. Even though he doesn't like the student council president for some reason, he still is worried about Lysander intervening should he try to instigate something again. Dropping my guard, I glance over at Lysander, who as usual, is perfectly composed, though I wonder why he was out for the rest of the week after that incident. Even Castiel didn't seem to know why from what little we had talked about it, so I hope that Lysander might at least discuss it with him, since though he doesn't talk much about himself, there are some things that he shouldn't try to handle alone. He had accepted me for my having amnesia, so I hope that he feels that we would accept him for whatever it is that he might have too. Like Castiel had said, friends don't let friends go through things alone.

"Good evening," Nathaniel forces a smile as he takes the tickets from Castiel. "It looks like you all are doing well. Welcome to Homecoming, this year's theme being Ethereal Edo." Historical Japan, huh? I wonder if they have a koi pond... Or perhaps a shrine with one of those giant lanterns. And what's Rosalya's photo booth going to have then, since I believe she had mentioned something about costumes? Maybe a bunch of kimonos? I try to envision my friends in traditional Japanese attire and nearly burst out laughing before Nathaniel suddenly comments, "Well, Lysander, I'm glad to see you're looking better."

"It was really nothing but Leigh overreacting, but thanks for your concern," Lysander nods in affirmation of what Nathaniel said, making me slightly more at ease, knowing that Lysander did indeed feel well, but doubting that it really was just Leigh keeping him from attending school.

"Any time," Nathaniel offers, still keeping his happy expression plastered to his face as Castiel scowls. "You're all accounted for now, so please enjoy yourselves!" We are walking away when I feel him grab my wrist, startling me as I feel like there is an electric jolt running through my arm, but since Castiel, Lysander, and Iris are up ahead, they don't notice. "Amy," Nathaniel whispers my name, a sense of urgency hidden in its depths. "I don't know why, but I'm having a bad feeling about something, though I feel like it may involve you. If anything should happen, please come out here."

"All right, thanks for the warning, Nathaniel," I agree to his request as he lets go and I run after my friends in order to catch up before they notice that I've fallen behind. Could he be right? In my memory, Abel had acted as though he already couldn't escape something, though what it was, I had no idea. Could I possibly be trapped as well? If so, what sort of things would come to pass? Would my friends really be able to protect me, or would they be convinced that I am too much of a burden and then abandon me? I have just reached my friends when I hear a cry from off to the side.

"Please, just leave me alone!"

I turn to look towards the speaker and find a girl cowering in a corner, those three bullies standing triumphantly above her. The girl's tresses are ebony in color, and tied back for tonight's occasion by a blue bow that is braided into her hair and her eyes are the silvery blue shade known simply as slate. I instantly find the problem that the pests have with her: she is wearing the exact same dress that Little Miss Amber has on, though in my opinion, this unknown girl looks much better in it. Amber's is obviously too small, and emphasizes her breasts and hips way too much for my liking, whereas on the other girl, it fits perfectly, covering everything to a nice extent and yet bringing out her porcelain skin as well as her eyes at the same time. I suppose that Amber's does bring out her eyes as well, but the focus is mainly on her body and detracts from the overall appearance. In either case, I glance at my friends, Lysander appearing like he wants to intervene, Iris staying out of the matter though looking sympathetic, and Castiel looking like he could care less. Taking in a short breath, I plunge into the situation in order to ensure Lysander stays out of it.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" I interrupt them as I stand between the clique and the defenseless young woman, arms outstretched and standing my ground. Nervousness hits me like a concrete wall, but I know that this is something that is the right thing to do, and if I don't do this, I would feel horrible for not doing so.

Amber starts turning red, not out of embarrassment, but out of anger as she retorts, "Well, if you want us to stop, then _fine_. Go ahead and take her out of my sight, but don't expect that you'll have seen the last of us!"

The three of them flounce off and the girl they had been bullying gets up. "Ah... thank you," she says, her voice barely audible as she gets to her feet and dusts herself off shyly.

"No worries! Those girls are a bit... _impossible _I guess you can say, and you looked like you needed help," I smile and offer her a hand. "My name's Amy, by the way. I just started attending school here recently, so I doubt that you've seen me around."

"Ah, so you're the new girl... I'm Hanako. Hanako Ambrose. I transferred here at the beginning of the school year..." she trails off as she nervously grips my hand for a brief second before dropping it as though it were a white-hot coal.

"It's nice to meet you, Hanako!" I pause for a moment before I put forward a proposition. "Say, why don't you come hang out with my friends and me?"

"Um, okay?" Hanako answers, as though not quite sure what to make of it as I lead her over to the rest of the group.

* * *

Eventually, all of us make it to the gym, where people are actually dancing and there are refreshments. Rosa and Leigh catch up with us there, though none of us are really dancing, more of just talking while sitting in the bleachers. Considering that I have no idea of how to dance, perhaps it is for the better. Dancing looks like it would be really dangerous, and as I already have issues with tripping over my own feet, I'd probably fracture or break something if I made an attempt. Booths are to open at 11, so our idea is to just wait until then to actually do something, especially since Rosalya is running one and is insistent on having us show up at hers. All in all, things are going quite smoothly when suddenly, a bunch of adults, teachers, I would presume, rush into the room as an announcement is made over the intercom.

_Attention, students, this is the principal speaking. _

The principal? I've never met the principal, but judging by the sense of urgency in her voice, something unexpected must have occurred in order for her to make this announcement.

_As much as I hope you have all enjoyed Homecoming, especially with the dance floor and refreshments in the gymnasium, I am afraid that we're going to have to close it down for the night._

What was this about? In the advertisements, nothing had been mentioned about closing off the gymnasium... I check with my friends for confirmation of this, and indeed, there is confusion in their expressions, just like in everyone else's in the room, other than the staff.

_Now I know that you all are probably wondering why this is happening, but please understand that this is one of the school safety policies._

I start hyperventilating, my mind racing towards all the possibilities that might have occurred. Could a fire have started? No, that wouldn't be it, if there was a fire, we'd be evacuated from the building. Perhaps then an unknown person had been spotted on the grounds? Wait, that probably _is _what happened. It's no secret that tonight's Homecoming night at Sweet Amoris High, and I'm a student here. The police may try to keep my condition and whatnot a secret from the everyday person, but they can't hide me, myself. Whoever is after me has already murdered Officer Findlay because he more than likely found out too much, and they seemed to have no problem locating and kidnapping me. They know that I'm still alive and that I'm here, and for whatever reason, I appear to be some kind of threat to them. If only my mind would cooperate, would I learn some kind of secret that could destroy them? Well, none of that matters if one of their hitmen is here to take me and my friends out... With my thoughts a chaotic jumble, I have to force myself to listen to the rest of the broadcast.

_We are currently in the midst of an ongoing blizzard, so until the weather clears up, all students must remain here at the school. Due to the gymnasium not having a backup generator, we would like for everyone to proceed to make their way to the main building in a calm and orderly fashion, where we will be opening up the cafeteria for the rest of the festivities. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and we will keep you posted about the situation._

At the news, despite the request for being 'calm and orderly', the students have caused utter chaos and confusion as people start forcing their way to the exit. Though I try not to be, I find myself separated from my friends as I feel a sticky liquid splash on me. I take a look down at my dress and find the reddish pink color of punch blooming across the white of my dress. Amber's snickering rings in my ears as I find her gloating next to me, an empty cup in her hand.

"Oops, sorry," she sneers, blue eyes narrowed in a glare. "I hope you can wash it out, though I must say, if it doesn't, at least it'll suit you more."

With that, she pushes her way through the crowd and disappears, her lackeys close behind. To the best of my ability, I stumble towards the school and quickly find my way to the ladies' restroom in order to try to remove the stain.

"Why me..." I exhale as I realize that I can only lighten the blemish, not remove it entirely, even with soap. I try scrubbing the stained patch of fabric harder, but to no avail. "Ugh, at least it's not blood this time, I guess..." Is it just me or does everything I wear wind up getting ruined somehow when I'm wearing it to the point where I have to ask Tata if she can get it dry cleaned? This must be my curse.

Exasperated, I give up and turn the faucet so the water is off, just as the lights go out and I'm left completely in the dark. No light streams in through the hallways, so there must have been some kind of power failure. As I wait for the backup generator to kick in, I hear a faint breathing coming from behind me, signalling that I'm not alone in the room anymore...

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, that's it for now! The next chapter should be the last chapter for Homecoming since I decided to cut this one off where it is. After that will be probably one chapter that talks about events leading up to the Halloween party, which I'm expecting will span three chapters like how Homecoming did. Anyways, back onto this chapter, I know some of you may be thinking something along the lines of, "A blizzard, in October?", but I can assure you, things like that _do _happen. Where I live, for instance, though not in the northern United States at all or a place where there's mountains, about once every three years, we can expect snow as early as September, despite temperatures ranging in the 70 degrees Fahrenheit/21 degrees Celsius for the weeks prior. Judging by that, I thought you guys might enjoy having Amy locked in the school with everyone else, and the main Homecoming fluff that everyone's anticipating will be coming in the next chapter.

Changing the subject, I hope you guys like the new picture that I put for the cover. My fiance had some spare time and drew Amy for me, so I'll be using that as the new cover. If he winds up drawing more pictures for the story (like one of my friends is pushing him to do), I'll be sure to post them somewhere so you can take a look if you so desire.

As always, thanks for reading, and a special thanks to reviewers Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy, CoreoftheCookie, Gossip Girl, OceanTide (who owns Hanako), and Psycho-Deliah, who reviewed the last chapter. Hope to see you guys for the next installment!


	15. Chapter 14: Trouble with a Capital T

******Chapter 14: Trouble with a Capital T**

A few seconds pass, though each seems more like a minute to me, before the hum of electricity reaches my ears and the lights turn back on. Though I'm afraid to know the answer, I glance up and take a look at who it is that's behind me. Much to my surprise, the girl who is there is more or less, normal, although I must say I have a nagging feeling that she's not the angelic looking girl that she appears to be in her expression, and in fact I'd be willing to bet that she is a demoness incarnated.

"Well, hello there," the girl simpers, a gleam in her blue eyes. "Since I haven't seen you here before, you must be the new girl, huh?" she looks me up and down, sizing me up, her hands on her hips and her blue eyes dark with questionable intent. I do not respond and just stare back at her. My intuition is going off like a smoke alarm in an inferno. Considering how she appears, I doubt she has anything to do with me or my situation, but I just know that whatever she's doing here, I'm going to be getting involved sooner or later. Preferably later, but I know one thing for sure: for whatever reason, I instinctively do not like this girl. I do not like Amber, for she is a pest, but at least she is fairly easy to deal with, and a lot of her behavior may stem from jealousy or insecurity. On the other hand, this girl appears to be in the wrong not because she's insecure, but because she's overconfident and self absorbed due to her appearance, which many guys would probably deem to be "sexy". She may appear to be glamorous in her heavily accented dress, but I am not so dazzled by it that I do not see the ugliness of the one who wears it. Don't get me wrong, it is obvious even to me, a girl still who doesn't know much about romance or attractiveness, that she is rather lovely in appearance, with her light brown hair intricately coaxed into an updo, flawless skin, and perfect figure, but appearances are deceiving and she would be much more nicer if she were a female dog, like a certain curse word that I might use to describe her, but I believe that it would be an insult to the dog to call this girl a bitch. Canines, for the most part, are loyal, and I do not think that the carnage that is this girl's blackened heart would allow for such steadfastness. She is treacherous, I fear, and uses her looks to charm and lure unwitting fools to their demise like sailors at the call of Lorelei, the queen of the Sirens.

After making my analysis, instinctively, I want to back away from her, but instead, I look her in the eyes as she stares right back. Perhaps she is attempting to dissect my psychology, like I have done to her. I hesitate for a brief second, deciding to disguise my feelings towards her and make an effort to keep any malice out of my voice as I offer, "You may call me Amy." I try to act as normal as possible when offering her my hand, but she does not take it and I fear she may have discerned my own thoughts.

"Amy? Okay then, Amy, you may call me Debrah."

So her name is Debrah, then. I feel like that name doesn't really suit her, actually. I don't know, maybe it just seems... old fashioned? I would envision her name being something more along the lines of "Carmen" or "Vanessa" or something more well... fitting to what I believe her to be? But then again, I suppose that would be too stereotypical. This is life, not a corny television soap opera, despite what it may feel like sometimes. I manage to force a smile onto my face as I reply, "It's nice to meet you, Debrah. Do you attend school here?"

Debrah pauses, pursing her lips together as if she's giving some thought of how to answer before she says, "No, not anymore. I've been preoccupied with other things."

Other things? What could be more important for normal teenagers our age other than school? I'm not sure if I classify as normal teenager, but by all means, this girl should.

As if sensing my question, she answers, "Oh, that's right, you wouldn't know this, but I'm a vocalist. My career has required me to make a few... adjustments."

Adjustments? Huh... I would guess that she's not talking about just leaving school. Uneasily, I then inquire, "So, what brings someone like you back here then? Surely not just for the pleasure of a school dance?"

"Well, if you must know," Debrah responds in a somewhat annoyed tone before she continues. "I came to see one of my friends to. Back when I was just getting ready to leave, some... sacrifices had to be made. I'm sure you'd understand if you knew..."

And there it is: confirmation of my doubts. As she trails off on that last sentence, a sneer crosses her face. It catches me so off guard that I almost don't hear what she says next, but fortunately, I manage to just catch the words she leaves me with.

As I turn my attention back to her, I hear her finish, "Little girl."

Little girl... I'm not that little, am I? Height wise, maybe just a bit, but _little_ girl? Wait... as I ponder those words I come to the realization that that's what Castiel calls me too sometimes. Castiel... and Debrah. I think about the two of them, and for some reason, something just clicks in my head, and I know: it's Castiel that she wants to see. And the sacrifices she mentioned... she hurt him. She hurt one of my dearest friends, and I will _not _sit by idly while she may hurt him again. I may not know all the circumstances, and though I have no exact proof that she really is after him, that is what my heart tells me, so in any case, I need to find him before she does. At the very least, I want some answers as to who this Debrah really is and what she's up to.

In a hurry, I too, head out of the bathroom, forgoing heading to my locker to grab a cardigan to cover my now very lightly stained dress, as my current mission is much more important, especially with the stain not being too visible anymore. Almost blind to my surroundings, just looking for the distinctive red hair of Castiel, I am startled out of my daze by someone from behind me. "So this is where you've been all along! You had us worried, you know!" Rosalya's concerned voice chastises me.

I turn around and manage a relieved smile as I apologize, "Sorry... as we moved out of the gymnasium, someone _accidentally _spilled her drink on me, and I had wanted to clean it off."

"No problem! We were probably just overreacting, thinking someone might have kidnapped you again. All of us split up to try to find you, and I have a stall to open soon!" she reassures me, though I don't miss the guilt trip that she's successfully adding in.

At this point, I want to ask her about Debrah, but I don't want to spoil her mood with my gut feeling about a girl that I really don't know, especially since she's already been concerned about my well being. Instead, I decide to be more vague when I ask, "So, shouldn't we meet up with the guys?"

Luckily, she does not notice the worry inside my eyes as she continues, as chipper as ever, "I'm sure they'll come find us, after all, I told them if I found you, I wanted to take you to the cafeteria and teach you how to dance before having to work! After all, what's Homecoming without dancing?"

Unable to refuse after that ordeal that she and everyone else had went through, I oblige to her request, hoping that possibly Castiel will show up there after searching for me before Debrah presumably catches him, and I allow Rosa to take my wrist and escort me to the dance floor.

* * *

"I think you're starting to get the hang of this!" Rosa exclaims as I pant through what must have been the fiftieth fast song that the DJ had played. I was expecting something more... lavish I guess, slow songs mixed in with fast ones so that one might catch their breath, not DDR techno pop blaring at everyone from the over-sized speakers. "Isn't this great?"

Personally, I believe that Rosa must be insane to get through all of these songs without even breaking a sweat, but then again, perhaps she's just used to this sort of thing. As far as I know, I'm not used to this, and I'm not sure if dancing is really a great thing, but I'm not going to tell Rosalya that when she's obviously having the time of her life. My only response to her is a grin, but in trying to concentrate on giving her a positive reaction, I misstep, twisting my ankle and falling to my knee.

"Aah! Amy, are you all right?" Rosa yelps as she moves to assist me. Wincing, I manage, with her help, to get off the floor and away from the hubbub of all the people still dancing. I really must be an omen of bad luck or something... no matter what, incidents like this just keep happening. Well, at least this time there's nothing like kidnappings, death, or fights involved, but I must say that I hope this streak changes soon. I'm lucky in some ways to have people like Rosa supporting me, but I fear that it's only a matter of time before they too are snared in the web of misfortune and darkness that I believe I am already caught in.

I sit down on one of the chairs set up by the door as Rosalya pulls out her cell phone, hurriedly punching in keys, probably texting someone. "I... I'm sorry, Rosa," I apologize. She looks at me blankly, so I elaborate, "Well, you have a stand to set up, don't you? But instead, you're staying out here with me, rather than enjoying yourself like you should be doing. We're at a dance, after all, and it's supposed to be fun..."

"Aww, don't worry about it, Amy," she smiles as she puts her phone back in her purse. "Being able to hang out with Leigh and my friends is what's most important to me. Speaking of which, there's Leigh and Lys."

Indeed, as I glance in the direction which she is looking in, the brothers are both there talking between themselves about something or another. They do not notice us at first until Rosa specifically calls them over.

"So you did find her then," Leigh comments as he embraces Rosalya in greeting. "But whatever happened to you educating her on the art of dance?"

"Well," Rosalya starts, her eyes wandering over to me.

Knowing she expects me to answer, I explain, "I was clumsy enough to twist my ankle, despite how well Rosa was teaching me, so we just decided to take a short break."

"Um, I hate to ask this of you, Lys, but..." Rosa looks down as she breaks her hug with Leigh.

"You wish for me to escort Amy to the nurse's office to get her ankle checked?" Lysander finishes for her. "I don't mind at all. You have a stand to run, do you not? Go ahead with Leigh and just focus on your job."

"Oh, thank you so much, Lys! I owe you one!" she practically exalts him as she drags Leigh off with her towards the supply room where she must have stored the various goods for her stall.

Once she and Leigh are out of sight, Lysander helps me to my feet and allows me to lean on him as we head to the nurse's office. As we walk, he notes, "Well, I think I'm getting a strange sense of deja vu, though I don't believe the circumstances were quite like this."

"Indeed," I smile a bit, despite the throbbing of my ankle. "By this point, it's almost like a routine for the two of us!" The two of us laugh, but then fall silent for some time before I say aloud, "I hope Castiel's not still searching for me. I'd hate to have him tearing through the school on my behalf."

"Hm? I think he probably would have taken a break by now, but if you would like, we can search for him after we get your ankle fixed up," he reassures me.

Though part of me wants to look for him now, I know that Lysander would insist that my well being comes first, so I don't even attempt to argue otherwise. We enter the nurse's office, but she's not there. Why is it that whenever I need her, she's not there? Oh well, I guess life just is that way. At least she was here when Lysander needed her.

"Since she's not here, I'll just try to get it wrapped up for you then. I believe your ankle's probably just sprained, so that should do the trick," Lysander gestures for me to sit down on a chair next to the door, and I do so, relieved to get off of my aching foot. He then goes to one of the cabinets and rummages around in it for a while before pulling out an ACE bandage wrap and proceeds to start wrapping my ankle. I feel bad for him having to kneel down on the floor to do so due to difference in height, but he doesn't seem to mind. He finishes up and has just inserted the clips to hold his handiwork together when the door is flung open.

A girl wobbles inside, probably intoxicated, but despite her obvious impairment, she notices Lysander and me right away. "Ah, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting..." she trails off.

"Um, no, not at all," I politely answer. "Is there something you were looking for?"

"Jus' some headache medication... goodness knows I'll need it..." she steadies herself on the desk. I want to ask her if either Lysander or I could get some for her when she interrupts by asking, "Hey, so, how long have ya two been... you know, dating then?"

"Wait, what?" Lysander and I ask in unison. Dating? Is that how it would look to everyone else? The thought had never even crossed my mind, and judging by Lysander's reaction, I doubt that it had crossed his either.

"Yer not dating?" she giggles at our surprised exclamation. "Well, don't say that "crazy" Val never helped you with nothing then, okay?"

I am about to ask her what she means by that when she suddenly takes a few awkward steps towards me and I feel her hands pushing me off the seat. Surprised, I yelp, but it is muffled as I collide with Lysander. I hear Val, as her name must be, laughing in the background, but I barely even notice it. From me falling off the chair and him breaking my fall, I can scarcely breathe as I feel my lips pressed against his.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, hope you all enjoyed the chapter! No, I still do not have a set pairing. You guys still will have a long way to go until that time. For this chapter, I just wanted to input some embarrassment since every Homecoming (or school dance, for that matter) has awkward moments, as pretty much any of you who have been to such a function should know. For example, this particular embarrassing situation at the end is somewhat similar to an event that occurred at Homecoming during my freshman year of high school. "Crazy" Val is a character made by one of my irl friends, who wishes that she remain anonymous on here, but needless to say, Val is not of my own creation, much like Hanako in the last chapter. Sorry for the extremely long wait: to make a long story short, my computer completely crashed and I only just got a working computer on Friday. Hopefully, I'll have up the next chapters up soon, considering that I've had them thought out and ready for quite some time now, though I'll be going back through and editing before actually posting them.

Thanks a ton to binaryguppy, who gave me the courage to write a certain scene of this chapter, as well as to all my readers and those who have reviewed the last chapter: Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy (obviously), CoreoftheCookie, Exactlyamanda, fairytailrox654, Lazy Hero, OceanTide (now Hope's Last Stand), and Psycho-Deliah. Without any of these people, I would not be as motivated to continue writing this story, so many thanks to those who review! I enjoy receiving feedback about my work, so whether through reviews or if you just send me a PM, I'm more than happy to receive your opinion, so please do so! Oh, and for those of you whose stories I read, I'm sorry for not reviewing as of late, but I'll try to catch up on the chapters that have been posted since my absence and review them, though it might take me a bit of time to do so. Until next time, then!

~Ariana/erinyoukai


	16. Chapter 15: A Shoulder to Lean On

**Chapter 15: A Shoulder to Lean On**

My mind goes blank, completely blank, and I am frozen for a few seconds before the full impact of what has just occurred registers in my mind. I just... I just kissed Lysander, one of my few friends that I can actually consider to be close to me. Upon realizing this, I scramble to get off of him, causing more fits of shrieking laughter from Val, as her voice is amplified by the alcohol.

"I-I'm sorry!" I bow in apology as I hurry to my feet and bolt out the door, not caring whether or not I might injure myself more. I am overwhelmed with emotion and wanting to cry, but force myself not to, though I cannot stop the embarrassment from showing in my cheeks. For once, I am absolutely mortified. From behind me, I can hear Lysander calling my name, but I do not turn to look, not wanting to see his expression right now, fearing the worst, and just push forward. I need to hide, and it has to be somewhere that I know he wouldn't expect me to be. As I sprint through the halls the best I can, I notice the door to the rooftop slightly ajar. Of course, I know that the door at the end of the staircase before actually reaching the rooftop must be closed right now and probably locked, but perhaps if I just close the door behind me after rushing inside he won't find me. After all, he's far enough away that he wouldn't be able to tell where I went. Nodding to myself in affirmation, I slip behind the door and close it behind.

"Well now, what do we have here?" I hear the teasing voice of Castiel and I realize that he's already sitting on the staircase, smoking a cigarette like the day I met him, though we were actually on the rooftop then. "Trying to run away from the big, bad wolf that'll gobble up little girls like-" he breaks off suddenly upon noticing the obvious look of shame on my heated face. He doesn't seem to know what to say for a while, but then sheepishly, he offers, "Here, take a seat. If you need to talk..."

"Thanks," I mumble as I sit down and just let my emotions get the better of me, finally letting my tears fall. I'm sorry that Castiel has to see me like this, as I know that guys typically don't know how to handle a crying girl, but he surprises me when he puts his arm around me and pulls me to his chest, allowing me to cry on him. Minutes that seem more akin to hours tick by as we sit in absolute silence, and he has already put out his light by the time I pull away and ready myself to speak. "Um... so... has it stopped snowing yet?" As soon as those words are out of my mouth, I want to smack myself for how stupid I probably sound, but perhaps I just might be able to avoid the topic that's causing me grief if I play my cards correctly?

Castiel sighs, a hint of exasperation in his tone, and I know that there's no worming my way out of this one, but he does answer, "Yeah, and it seems like we'll be able to blow this joint in a couple hours."

He stares at me expectantly, and I find myself clamming up even more. Lysander is his best friend, as far as I can tell, at least. How would Castiel react if he knew about... that incident? I'm already going to lose Lysander as a friend; I don't want to lose Castiel too.

When I don't say anything more, Castiel interrogates, "Is it Rosalya?"

Almost not of my own accord, I shake my head no, though I know that he'll continue grilling me regardless of whether I answer or not, and that I'll not be able to keep the truth from him forever. I want someone to know, and yet I don't want anyone to know. If someone knows, it will take a weight off of me and I'll be able to try to calm down. But on the other hand, I don't want to be viewed as to have taken advantage of Lysander's kindness, or to be completely foolish to be behaving in this way, but how could I not react like this? Some may say I am overreacting, but I just... I just kissed a friend who obviously cares for me as a _friend_. And this friend is someone I've only known for a short while. And someone who is one of the few who know of my amnesia. And who just happens to be the person I generally turn to right away with my problems. But this is a problem that he can't fix. I've never thought about anyone in a romantic way before. Or at the very least, I don't believe I have. And yet, this incident makes me wonder even more, what is it like to be in love? I refuse to think of any of my friends in a romantic sense. It would ruin what we already have. I can't bear to think of losing a friend, but this incident will force me to. Surely he'll be upset with me for kissing him. Despite his patience, I'm sure even he will not tolerate some things, and breaching the strict laws of friendship most definitely has to be one of them.

Castiel goes through several more names, some of them familiar to me, others not, and I just keep shaking my head no. Finally, though he pauses a bit before asking, he asks the dreaded question, "Is it Lysander?" I turn away from him and nod, not wanting to elaborate any further than that, and I try rise up to leave, but he catches my arm and forces me to sit back down. "Tell me what happened," he orders, and I attempt to pull away again, to no avail. "I've got all evening, and thanks to you closing that door, we're locked in here until someone from the hallway opens it," Castiel growls and I internally groan at the situation I've landed myself in.

Despite my mind refusing to do so, I finally admit after several more attempts to extricate myself from his grasp, "...I-I kissed him, okay? C-Can you let me go now?" Castiel lets go of me, though by his furrowed brow he appears baffled as to why I would do such a thing. Come to think of it, it does sound rather strange for me to randomly kiss someone, especially knowing my condition. To ease his mind, I further elaborate, "It... it was an accident..."

I know that what I have told him sounds completely absurd, especially if you consider my height versus Lysander's height. I am 158 cm, or roughly 5'2". I believe Lysander to be around 182 cm, or roughly 5'11". It's kind of a stretch to think of any possibilities in which I would accidentally kiss him, and yet that is exactly what happened. The same thing seems to cross Castiel's mind, so I give in and regale him with the full story of how everything happened... but unlike what I had expected of him, he doesn't laugh or consider the whole affair to be silly, like I had envisioned he would. For once, he seems to take in everything bit by bit as I tell him more, and it's only after I finish filling him in that he inquires, "Well, that explains a lot, but why are you upset? Like you said, it was an accident."

To this, I woefully answer him, "He probably will hate me for this regardless, won't he?" I feel so... pitiful. Maybe it really is appropriate for Castiel to call me a 'little girl' all the time. When it comes to real life experiences, I have practically none, since almost everything is lost to me. I feel like I know the right thing to do or what should be done when I'm watching a television show or reading a novel, but when I'm actually in some kind of trouble... I really don't know what to do. In some ways, I guess that makes me no better than a child.

From Castiel's body language, I finally feel like I may be overreacting, especially after he verbally notes, "Jeez, and here I thought you were supposed to be one of the rational ones... like Lysander would really hate anyone for something like this..."

I know that he mumbles something after the comment about Lysander, but I can't make it out, so I ask, "Um... I'm sorry, I didn't catch that last part there."

"The last?" Castiel mulls over my comment. "Tch. So I said that aloud then." He smirks before enlightening me, "I said, that must have been quite the shock for him, considering that I bet that was his first time being kissed by a girl."

"Y-you're joking, right?" I gasp in horror. Oh. My. God. That just makes things even worse. I thought that everyone around my age had already dated someone at least once, especially after how they depict things on television, but I realize now that must have been over-exaggeration on their part.

"Do you really think I'd joke about something like that?" his smirk widens, and I really hope that this won't be Rosalya's reaction if she finds out. She and Castiel can really be similar sometimes in what amuses them. It's no wonder why the two of them are friends. "You shouldn't worry so much though. Just think: next year, we'll all be reminiscing about such things and how ridiculous they really are, though it didn't seem like they were at the time."

"B-but for now, what do I do about Lysander?" I tremble slightly. Though Castiel may be right about everything, he never really stated _how _to deal with things for right now. Perhaps I would have known if I had my memories, but then again, I probably wouldn't be in this situation if I did, and I probably would never have met any of my friends if I did. It would be me, my brother, Abel, and who knows who else?

Castiel ruffles my hair before advising, "You're going to have to talk to him about all this sooner or later. As to when you should, that's up to you. For now though, I'll have a chat with Lysander myself so that he'll let you be the one to take the initiative. How does that sound?"

"Thanks, Cas," I manage a genuine smile before remembering what I had wanted to discuss with him. It seemed like eons ago since that encounter with Debrah, and I couldn't believe that she had completely slipped my mind until now. "Say Castiel... I really wanted to know something."

"Go ahead, fire away," he encourages me. "After all the shit you've been through tonight, from what it sounds like, I'll go easy on you this time."

"Well you see-" I begin, but am interrupted by the door to the hallway opening, and the person who struts inside happens to be the very same devious, conniving brunette that I was just about to ask about...

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, next chapter, we'll finally Homecoming! Jeez, it seems like forever ago that I had first mentioned that it was approaching... Well, in any case, obviously, coming up next will be the conclusion of this long-winded event as well as Amy finding out fully about Debrah and a few more hints of Amy's past peeking through. After that, we'll be having the preparations for the Halloween party at Iris's house, the actual party itself, and after that... well, I don't want to spoil anything!

Many thanks go out to the reviewers of the last chapter: binaryguppy, Exactlyamanda, Hope's Last Stand, and lollipop100 . MCL. It's thanks to you that I keep writing, and feedback is much appreciated, even if it is just a simple pm or a message on my MCL account, erinyoukai. Until next time!

~Ariana/erinyoukai


	17. Chapter 16: Revelation and Formulation

**Chapter 16: Revelation and Formulation**

* * *

**Warning: **There are a few spoilers in this chapter for episode 15 (in other words, a bit about Debrah), which is not out in English yet. I have tried to make it as generalized as possible, but if you don't want to know anything about it whatsoever, I'd recommend skipping the last section of the actual story and just read the Author's Note in order to find out what's going on leading up to the next chapter.

* * *

Of course it just had to be _Debrah _to be the one to find us and unlock the door. Just _wanting _to glean more information about her shadowy figure seems to summon her from the depths of hell from whence she came, but then again, the more I view her, the more I question whether even the darkest and most grisly tortures of Tartarus would be too kind for her. Could I be biased, perhaps, in my judgment of her? I _don't _think so. Words are too kind to express my opinion of her, so I won't even try anymore. My suspicions about her trying to find Castiel seem to be spot on, though, as she very kindly greets us, gushing in an almost sickeningly sweet tone, "If it isn't my _dear _Castiel and _darling _Amy? I had _no _idea the two of you even knew each other!"

Wait, _"her dear" _Castiel? A thought crosses my mind, and though it makes me nauseous, I don't doubt it's veracity considering what I've already determined from analyzing her: the two of them must have been an item back when she was still attending school here. I _suppose _she does kind of seem like the type that would be with someone like him, but only if she hasn't shown her true colors like I suspect that she hasn't. No, relationships are probably a game to her, and someone like her would manipulate those most sacred bonds to wreak havoc upon those who stand in her way as obstacles. Someone like... me I guess. She _did _tack on a ludicrous "_darling_" to my name, as if trying to send me a hidden message to say that she's on to me. I want to confront her about everything, but I do not know the full story yet, and I must know if I am to do so. But now, the question is: how do I go about asking about Debrah without making my intentions obvious to her? For some reason though, as I think even more about Debrah, a memory floats to the surface of my mind.

* * *

_Shadows surround me._

_Fog clouds the dark city streets._

_I am someone's prey._

_As I take pause from running, the distinct sound of something disturbing the puddles of water behind me forces me onward._

_Why I am being hunted, I do not know, but all I do know is that I cannot allow the predator giving chase to catch me._

_Before me, the distorted beam of a light catches my attention. Surely there must be someone there who can help me._

* * *

_"Amaya?"_

_Slowly, my eyelids flutter open and I realize that I must have been dreaming. A dream within a memory, that's a new one for me. But I'm startled when I see the dark figure that could only be Lucien sitting next to me. Automatically, I greet him, "Ugh, what time... is it time for you to leave already, Luci?"_

_"Unfortunately," he sighs, brushing a few stray locks of his hair out of his face. "Why Abel insisted on getting a flight out of here at three in the morning is beyond me... unlike him, some of us do need to sleep sometimes."_

_"So his insomnia has been keeping him awake as of late, then?" I grumble. "He never tells me anything anymore."_

_"With good reason," Lucien, or Luci, as I called him before, scolds me. "We want you to live a fairly normal life, grow up, get married, and be happy. You shouldn't be worrying about the rest of us all the time. We made our choices, and we now have to face the consequences for them. You still have the luxury of ignorant bliss, so you wouldn't understand."_

_"Luci, could I ask you something?" I cling to his arm as he starts to get up to leave._

_He doesn't say anything, but stops in his tracks, waiting for me to continue._

_"Why are you helping Abel? Your mother hated our mother, and..."_

_"That woman is not my mother," he replies curtly._

_I am confused as to what exactly he and I are talking about, perhaps if I could remember more, I might, but Lucien continues speaking and so I listen obediently._

_"That woman who is now married to that brute that we call 'father' is nothing more than a manipulative harlot who is the puppet master behind every little detail of our circumstances."_

_Wait, does this mean that Lucien's my brother? Well, I suppose he must be a half-brother since evidently we have two different mothers..._

_Lucien, upon realizing what he just said, groans, "Shit, I might have said too much already."_

_"Um, don't you have a plane to catch?" I naively ask him._

_He laughs as he checks his Rolex, "Of course I do!" I release him from my grasp temporarily so that I might get out of bed and hug him goodbye. As I do so, he murmurs, "Be a good girl and stay out of trouble. Oh, and keep away from 'mother'. Goodness knows what Abel would do to me if something were to happen to you..."_

* * *

While deep in thought, Debrah and Castiel have been conversing about _something_, but I was too distracted, much to my chagrin. The two of them are now looking over at me, Castiel with his arms folded across his chest and appearing irritated, and Debrah with a smug little smile and a confident air around her. Even without the two of them saying anything, I feel as though I am intruding on their space. Though I know it's a terrible idea, I decide to follow what they must have said to me when I wasn't paying attention and shamefully exit the staircase. Part of me wants to stay by the door and listen in, but I don't want to risk Castiel's anger. He already seemed annoyed with me, and I don't want to test his limits. It was a novice mistake for me to make by shutting out the subject of interest's conversation with my friend. Especially when I'm positive that she is surely up to something, the conniving manipulator that she is.

For once, I feel really alone. Rosalya and Leigh are probably busy at the stand, Lysander is off somewhere and I really don't want to confront him right now, and Castiel is probably being played for a fool by Debrah right now. Of my other friends, Iris, Melody, and Violette I feel would be too trusting of Debrah to notice anything off about her, and they're probably more puppets for her to command, if she's anything at all like what Lucien said about the woman who married my father, which I bet Debrah is of a similar model. As for Hanako, since she's still fairly new, I doubt she'd have any clue as to who Debrah is. And then Nathaniel... oh, Nathaniel! He made me promise to go to the entrance and meet up with him should anything happen. Well, needless to say, he was spot on with his gut feeling that something was going to happen involving me, and I'm sure that the intelligent student council president could not be deceived as easily as the others. Immediately, I make a beeline towards the front of the school.

* * *

He is still at the table where I last had seen him when I arrive, though Melody is nowhere in sight. In fact, there is no one there except for me and him, which I believe will make my job easier. The less people who can unintentionally overhear, the better.

"Nathaniel!" I call out to him. He is startled but quickly regains his composure as I make my way to the table and take a seat next to him.

"Amy..." the concern in his voice is evident as he says my name. "So something did happen then. Do you need someone to listen?"

"Actually, I have a few questions I need answered," I smile as best I can to put on a brave front. "It's about a girl who attended school here last year."

The effect is immediate: Nathaniel's face becomes sickly looking, almost a blue tone coming to his cheeks and I realize that he must have seen the ugliness within her already and know _something_that I don't know yet. "Um, what do you want to know about her?" he almost whispers.

She must have done quite the number on him to leave this kind of lasting impression. Knowing that, I decide to be straight forward and direct when I make my inquiry, "Something about that person is not quite right. I know she was dating Castiel, or at least I presume she was. She mentioned to me when I first met her that in order to pursue her career, some 'sacrifices had to be made' and she had to 'make a few adjustments'. Now, I believe she probably was talking about him, so she must have broke up with him and left him behind. Nathaniel, I know that you and Castiel don't get along, but both of you are my friends, and I don't want to see either of you get hurt any more by her. She must have hurt you as well somehow in order for you to react the way you just did, so please, I need your help to ensure she doesn't cause any more hardship." Nathaniel doesn't look fully convinced, so I tack on, "Please, I'm begging you, could you just cooperate and fill me in? You're the only one that I can talk to about this, since I'm sure everyone else is or soon will be under her spell. You and I are probably the only ones who aren't fooled by that act of hers."

Nathaniel considers my plea, before asking in a melancholic tone, "Did you know that Castiel and I used to get along?" His question catches me off guard. I suppose though that since he brought this up right now, Debrah was the reason for them no longer being friendly to one another. I must look confused though, since he continues on, "That girl is the main reason why things are the way they are now."

"So, what exactly happened?" I wonder out loud.

Over the next hour or so, Nathaniel explains everything: how Debrah and Castiel were dating, how he, Nathaniel, found out too much about what Debrah was up to at the time, and how she manipulated almost everyone into thinking that he was a bad person. As he recounts those days, I find my dislike of the girl growing into complete loathing, as well as my desire to give her a piece of my mind.

"She can't just get away with all of this!" I exclaim as he finishes up his story. "I, for one, won't stand idly by while she attempts to control the entire school, as well as potentially everyone else she comes into contact with!"

"Do you really think that you could stand up to her? She'll set you up like she did with me, and your reputation will go down the drain. No one will want to be seen hanging around you, and you'll be left alone to suffer while everyone gossips about the 'wrongs' you have committed!" he argues, but I think I may just understand why. He and I are friends, and he doesn't want me to be hurt in the same way he was back then. Knowing how he strives to be the role model student and to keep a good reputation, if I were to be in the same situation, despite his feelings of empathy, he would not act on them as to do so would tarnish his own rep again. But despite knowing this, he is still someone I consider to be my friend, and he was hurt deeply by this woman. Though the road to nab her may be tough and rife with unnecessary stress, I know that this battle is something I need to engage in, but before I do that, there's something I must do.

"Hey Nathaniel, there's something I need to talk with you about..." I tell him as I notice some snow plows going through the road leading into the school as well as the parking lot, which will liberate us from the confines of the building. Before Nathaniel can ask what it is, I elaborate, "And it's not something I can disclose here at school when there will be people coming by in just a few minutes to leave."

"All right then," he nods before adding, "What about if we go out somewhere tomorrow, say, the movies? There's a new movie that was just released for one of Agatha Christie's novels."

"Sounds good!" I agree. "Why don't we meet up at 3:00 at the theater just to make sure we can discuss things beforehand?"

"Okay, I'll see you then," Nathaniel complies just as the PA clicks on and an announcement is made to inform us that we could now head home. A crowd of tired students starts moving towards the entrance and I wave goodbye to him so I can catch up with Rosalya and Leigh.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, there you have it, the conclusion of Homecoming! Next chapter, we'll be seeing Nathaniel and Amy going out together as friends to the movies since Amy apparently has something she wants to discuss with him in private. As always, I want to thank all of my readers, as well as reviewers AliceXxX, Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy, Exactlyamanda, Gossip Girl, and Hope's Last Stand. Without good feedback, I wouldn't be as motivated to continue my work, well, editing my work right now, considering the upcoming chapters for right now have rough versions of them completed. Also, in a few chapters, I will be making an announcement, so keep your heads up! Until next time!


	18. Chapter 17: Who Am I?

**Chapter 17: Who Am I?**

**Sunday, October 26, 6:57 PM**

_Who am I?_

_How did I get here?_

_Why was Officer Findlay killed?_

_What was Lucien really doing at the kidnappers' base?_

_Who was that girl that Castiel, Lysander, and Leigh had seen?_

_Where is Abel now?_

_What happened to my brothers after they left me that day?_

These questions are just a few of the many I'm sure that I'll have by the time everything is over, though some things are starting to become less hazy and more clear. Part of it may be from my memories returning, but I'd like to believe a good deal of it comes from noticing the small details of a person's behavior. I wish I had more time to piece all of this together, so perhaps I could work out more of a plan, but I don't have the necessary time to do so. _They_ need me right now, and if I slip up in my dealings... he'll die.

* * *

**A Few Hours Earlier... 3:02 PM**

"Thanks for going through all this trouble just so that we may have a more private conversation," I am practically skipping through the movie theater, feeling like a normal girl for once, just out with a friend. But today isn't just a normal day. Today is the day when I must break that illusion and tell Nathaniel my circumstances. I've kept it from him long enough, and now that I'm planning to go after Debrah, I need to explain to him just _why_ my friends' well being is so important to me, despite the possibility of me losing them all by going through with my plan. I am sure he'll try to stop me if he doesn't know that I'm not afraid to be alone. In fact, even after I get through telling him, he still may try to change my mind about it, but I cannot let him do so.

Despite how important this day is sure to become, Nathaniel doesn't notice anything off about me at all. Either I'm faking it pretty well, or else he only sees what he wishes to see. Regardless, he responds, "It's no problem! I had been wanting to see this film ever since it had been announced as being in the works, and since you enjoy the same genre, it's only fair that we both go together."

"You're too kind!" I smile. To think that _I _of all people could be considered a good enough acquaintance or friend to actually go to the cinema alone with, especially while being considered as an everyday person and not someone to guard or pity, is something I would have never thought to be possible when I was still in the hospital, and even now, I wonder if perhaps I'm still back at Tata's house in my bed, sleeping and having an incredible dream about Nathaniel wanting to see Agatha Christie's _And Then There Were None_ with me. Speaking of Tata, it probably was a good idea that I had Officer Jacobsen drop me off at the theater, since I just _know _that Tata would never let me off the hook if she knew beforehand that I was going to a movie _alone _with a _male _classmate. Jacobsen's only condition was that I call her after the movie was over and that Nathaniel drive me home, since she would be making some rounds by then. That was fine by me, and then I'd have all night to explain to Tata, that is, if she happens to notice that it was a guy who drops me off at the house. I clear my throat and turn back to Nathaniel, "Anyways, we have what, half an hour before the movie starts?"

"Something like that, yes," Nathaniel confirms. "Since we have the time, do you want to discuss that topic from yesterday you didn't want to talk about at school?"

Here it is: the moment of truth. After checking to ensure that no one is around us while we're just wandering around, looking at the posters for upcoming movies, I decide to start by asking, "Do you remember when I first came to Sweet Amoris High, and how evidently, a couple of police officers had picked up my registration papers?"

"Of course," he frowns, as if he had just now remembered and thought it strange that he had never brought it up before. "As I recall, apparently you were going to be attending under some strange circumstances."

"Oh, so do you already kind of know why, then?" I hadn't expected him to be that observant, considering how busy he always appears to be, but then again, as student body president, I guess he would kind of have to be one of the most intelligent in our class. That or else he actually applies his brain rather than let it go to waste, as so many people do.

"Well, I've had a few thoughts on the matter, but I figured that if you would want me to know, you'd just tell me," Nathaniel admits. Huh, so he actually thought to not jump to any conclusions and instead trust that I would clear it up eventually. I obviously do not really have the right sort of knowledge to love someone, but perhaps I _can _understand why Melody likes him so much.

I take a deep breath, and then I launch into the story of how I came to be here in Amoris, as well as everything that had occurred since arriving... well, I guess I told him almost everything. I decided to leave out some of the more personal situations since that should just be between me and the person or persons there at the time.

Thoughtfully, Nathaniel takes some time to absorb all the information that I just hit him with before enlightening me with his thoughts on the matter, "Now that you've explained it all, the whole situation makes a lot more sense. I had thought it odd that Castiel would get so upset by me escorting you to class... But on the other hand, you've done a pretty good job of playing into the role of 'average high school girl', so I never really suspected that you had amnesia and I thought perhaps he just was infatuated with you or something."

"Wait, you thought Castiel was infatuated with me?" I hit my head, somewhat exasperated. What's with people these days that a girl can't be friends with a guy without them supposedly dating or liking each other? "Sorry, but I really don't think that I'd be his, or any other guy for that matter's type, amnesia or not. Especially considering how I bet most of them are fawning over Debrah, and with fairly good reason. Even I can admit that she's very... well, pretty."

"Looks aren't everything, you know, Amy, and I'm telling you as a friend that I'm sure that a lot of guys find you cute and would be jealous if they knew the two of us were seeing a movie together. You shouldn't even try to compare yourself to Debrah. Sure, she may be attractive, but it's only on the outside. Just the fact that you're willing to give up everything that you've got here in Amoris in order to ensure that she won't hurt any of your friends, namely Castiel, anymore is a very honorable thing to do and puts you miles ahead of her. Heck, I know that I don't have the guts to do that, and most people wouldn't bother going to the extreme that you are. It'll be a wonder if she's not afraid of you when you confront her!" he encourages me. To hear that from him, well, it makes me blush in embarrassment! I thought that more people were like me in that they'd protect their friends, and that what I intend to do is not anything special. I know that I'm not normal. After all, I have my condition and am severely limited in my knowledge of how the world really works, but perhaps that is not just a detriment but perhaps my greatest asset as well. Nathaniel's words help me see that now. As the two of us buy concessions and head into the room where the movie will be showing, I really hope that Nathaniel will stick by my side for a long time and help me through this whole Debrah affair, even if he doesn't want to involve himself at all.

* * *

**6:48 PM**

"I must say, I think that Hollywood took quite a few liberties with that film," Nathaniel groans as the two of us walk out to the main lobby. "Though the plotline and names were the same..."

"They really added in a lot of unnecessary scenes that definitely weren't in the book," I chime in. "Thanks for being there for me..." Though I am loathe to admit it, I really got scared during a few of those suspenseful added scenes, and it was only thanks to Nathaniel allowing me to grip his arm during those times that I didn't just die of a heart attack or something. Thank goodness that neither Nathaniel nor I are likely to talk about this time with anyone. After all, neither of us would wish to wind up dead: Nathaniel by Castiel freaking out at him like always and me by the surely devious mind of Melody. They say that it's the kind and friendly ones you want to watch out for. When's the last time you've heard of a community referring to a serial killer and saying "it was so obvious that they were that type of person"? No, it's always the shock and then the "they were such a nice person though..." comment.

"It's no problem. Some of those scenes were rather... dramatic. And don't worry, I'll take it to the grave. No one has to know," he reassures me. "Who would've thought that the mystery book that we know and love could turn into such the horror movie?"

"Yeah, tell me about it," I giggle nervously. "Oh, that's right, I need to call Jacobsen. I promised her that after the movie finished, I'd call her. Do you mind if I take my leave for now? I'll just be over in the 'Planetarium'," I alert him. The 'Planetarium', as they call it is a sitting area next to the arcade, and that's where the best reception supposedly is in this place. Overhead, there's a black screen that is lit up by constellations and has random shooting stars moving across it, so I guess that's why it's the 'Planetarium'. Since there's typically other people there, I figure that at the very least, this time, I won't get myself kidnapped.

"Do you need me to come with you?" Nathaniel offers, but I decline and he leaves it at that. After all, if I can't take care of myself while I'm just talking on the phone, I must really be horrible at defending myself. Sure, there was the dressing room incident, but that was a different day and a different time, and I had lowered my guard. This time I'll be more careful so as to not become a victim... again. Nathaniel tells me that he'll wait for me in the lobby, so I make my way to the 'Planetarium' and make my call.

"Jacobsen here," comes the curt response from over the phone. "By this call, I take it that everything's going well?"

"Yes, things are pretty normal here. It's just a nice trip to the movies at a time when a lot of people are around to ensure my well being. What's the worst that could happen?" I question.

I hear her sigh on the other end, "You shouldn't tempt fate, you know. When you do so, it's only a matter of time before it'll come back to bite you where it hurts."

"I'm serious though: what _could _happen? There's too many witnesses here for someone to just waltz in and try to carry me out against my will. They want me alive, not dead, I think, judging by last time," I argue my point, though making sure to keep my volume down.

"But you don't know that for sure. You were in pretty bad shape when we first found you. It was like someone had made an attempt on your life," Jacobsen snaps back. It's times like these that I wish Findlay were there to calm her down. She and I never _really _got along all that much. If you were to put it in terms of school, she'd be that girl who's so straightforward it's annoying. It's not like one would hate her or even necessarily dislike her, it's just that one's not all that comfortable in hearing what she has to say, and she has an opinion on _everything._

"Well, in any case, I better go for now. I don't want to keep Nathaniel waiting, after all," I decide to cut the call short before we end up in a full blown verbal fight. I don't want or need the other folks in the general area staring at me, after all.

"Take care of yourself. And have Agatha call me when you arrive home," she orders and I sigh after agreeing and hanging up the phone. Such a big fuss over what's really nothing this time. With a woman like her acting as my 'personal officer', who needs parents? Shaking my head in frustration, I head back to the lobby to meet back up with Nathaniel.

* * *

**6:55 PM**

As I head back to Nathaniel, my mind starts thinking of various mysteries in my life.

_What happened to my brothers after they left me that day?_

Lucien's here in Amoris now, probably keeping an eye on me, but he has never approached me as a family member. I would guess that he must have 'found out too much', as he would put it. But he was with Abel, last I remember, and now they seem to have parted ways. I wish I knew what all had happened since they left that has led to Lucien watching over me from afar.

_Where is Abel now?_

He and I were close, really close. Lucien and he left on that day, together, and yet only Lucien is here. Could Abel... be dead? Did he die for knowing too much? As I wonder about this, my heart tells me that I'm correct on that matter, and I feel like I want to cry, but I can't. Not yet. Not until I know for sure that he's gone. Otherwise it'd be a waste of tears from me jumping to conclusions.

I arrive back in the lobby and Nathaniel's not anywhere to be found. ...Crap, it looks like Jacobsen was right. But Nathaniel was my ride and he wouldn't just leave without me, right? He's not that type of guy, or at least, I don't believe he is. Concerned, I pull on my duster coat, the heaviest outerwear that I currently own, and head outside to see if perhaps he's just warming up the car or something. I hear voices from the side of the building, which I had noticed earlier led to an alley that probably couldn't be viewed well from the streets or sidewalk at night due to the location of the trees that adorned the lawn, so I stealthily make my way to the corner of the wall so I can take a peek around the corner. Much to my surprise, I catch a glimpse of a girl who looks, well, kind of like me.

_Who was that girl that Castiel, Lysander, and Leigh had seen?_

I would infer that the girl that I just glimpsed must be the same girl, and I can understand why they'd make that error into thinking she was me. She's obviously taller than me up close, but considering that they had caught sight of her from a distance, it would probably be hard to tell. Her hair, like mine typically is, is braided and dark in color. She's even wearing a dress similar to the type that I'd wear. However, she's also wearing glasses, though her eyes... they're like the red of the setting sun. I have no doubt that she's related to me due to that. Red is an odd color for eyes, after all, and what's the chance that there's more than just me and this girl, a relative, that has this color for them and resides in this town? Findlay and Jacobsen had told me that there was no one to begin with, so she must have come afterwards. She is being gripped roughly by a very burly man, and there are other such men around. They're all in fairly nice garb, much like an organized crime ring. These people who have her do not appear to be attacking her though, just keeping her still so she can't fight. In fact, they seem like they're just talking. Perhaps they are part of the people who kidnapped me? As I think about them, my thoughts trail on about other mysteries.

_What was Lucien really doing at the kidnapper's base?_

He had claimed to be there on 'family business', and I'm now sure he meant that it was because they had me that he showed up and more than likely killed them, judging by the smell in the air when I woke up. That scent was more than likely blood. It would make sense then why Lucien had me not look while we were heading out of that complex. But how did he know I was there in the first place? Could he really have been keeping tabs on them beforehand? Surely there was a reason why... and there must have been a reason why these people had kidnapped me. My mind then wanders into the other big incident from that day.

_Why was Officer Findlay killed?_

He was supposed to meet up with someone who had a lead in the case. Perhaps it was Lucien? Or maybe Abel? Those are the only two that I could think of that could have contacted him to try to get a chance to talk to me. If it _was _Lucien, perhaps that's how he knew where the kidnappers had went: one of them had just shot Findlay just before they were to meet up and Lucien followed that person back to their base, maybe knowing who they were already, and maybe guessing that they had nabbed me. But since I had woken up and he was the only individual there at the time, he couldn't just tell me straight out that he's my brother. I wouldn't have believed that statement at the time for one, and two, by introducing himself as an agent working with the police, I'd be more liable to trust him from the get go. If it was Abel who was to meet up with him, then in all likelihood, Abel may be in hiding now, trying to make sure he doesn't get himself killed, since Findlay being murdered would have served as a warning.

_How did I get here?_

I was in a bad state when I woke up. It was obvious that I had amnesia, for starters, and then I also had severe lacerations on my body. The officers guessed that someone had been trying to kill me then, and I still agree with them on that end. But maybe I had this whole deal with the kidnappers all wrong in thinking there group was the one who did that to me. The kidnappers had _not_harmed me whatsoever in terms of physical means. All they did was drug me and lock me up in a room. But if they weren't the ones who did that to me, who did?

As I stand there, wondering what was going on, I hear what must be the leader of those thugs make a proposition to the girl, "Well, which will it be, are you going to come quietly, or are we going to have to slit this boy's throat first?"

Abruptly, I clasp a hand to my mouth to stifle my gasp. Those... imbeciles have Nathaniel. That girl, they think she's me! Judging by how she had appeared, she probably had wanted them to make the error of thinking she was me, but she hadn't guessed that Nathaniel would find a way to get mixed up in all of this. Subtly, I sneak another glance around the corner to confirm that it is indeed Nathaniel. For once, I wished I was wrong. He is there, battered, but still very much alive and conscious. One of those brutes is keeping him restrained by having him in a choke hold, and another standing nearby is sharpening a very ominous knife. There's nothing that he or the girl could do right now to get out of this situation, as they'd probably kill him if they knew that the girl isn't me. Gritting my teeth, I reach into my pocket and pull out the bear mace that Jacobsen had insisted that I carry. As quickly as I can, I unscrew the lid and take a deep breath. 'Just point and spray," she had told me. I count to three and then spring out into the light where they will see me.

"Cease this at once and let them go!" I snarl and point the spray can at the one holding the knife.

Those fools burst out laughing upon seeing my figure, and I must admit, it probably looks comical, as I'm rather... small compared to them. "And just who do you think you are, girlie?"

Wait... does this mean that they don't see me clearly? I take a look at the angle of the lights and realize that at this angle, if they try to look at me, they'd be blinded, so my features would be hard to make out to them. So much for a dramatic entrance, but I think about the question they just put forth.

_Who am I?_

Nathaniel's life, and that girl depend on my response now. Can I really get through this? A faint memory flashes in my mind, and I grin, though none of them see it, as I recall the full answer to that question that had plagued me for so long. "Who am I?" I repeat as I spray Knife Man directly in the eyes. He screams as he drops the knife and is now clawing at his face in agony. "I'm Amaya Kurokawa, or Amy Neraida, as I'm now called, but regardless of what name you want to call me, you've picked the _wrong _girl to mess with!"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, this was supposed to come out a few hours ago as a Valentine's Day update, but I guess that didn't happen. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! As always, I'd like to thank my readers and the reviewers of the last chapter: Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy, Exactlyamanda, and Gossip Girl. I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day, and until next time!

~Ariana/erinyoukai


	19. Chapter 18: Confrontation

**Chapter 18: Confrontation**

I stand there, soaking in the moment, my moment of being the hero for once and not allowing someone else to take care of things for me. It really feels... exhilarating, with the adrenaline pumping through my system at over a million miles an hour, the sudden blood rush, and just the sheer thrill of being empowered to do something for the good of others, especially when one is a friend, one of the few that I can expect to understand my conflict with Debrah, and the other one, though I do not know her or her intentions, just may be the key to understanding everything that has happened to me since arriving in Amoris and perhaps even a bit before then. If I can rescue them from these thugs, I just _know _I can one, get some answers that I've been desperately searching for, and two, surely be able to confront Debrah in the near future. With this in mind I point the can at each one of the remaining hoodlums, one by one, daring them to make a move.

However, no good feeling can last forever, and mine is immediately replaced with one of dread the second that the leader shouts, "Get her!" Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all. It's me versus seven men who look as though they could each be weight lifting champions and probably are proficient in hand to hand combat. Sure two of them are preoccupied by restraining that girl and Nathaniel, but that still leaves five for me. As they charge, I nail the closest one to me in the face with the spray like his friend who is still groaning on the ground, and he too is out of commission for now. I hear a thud and notice out of the corner of my eye that the girl must have used some form of martial arts and with her legs, performed a maneuver that allowed her to escape from the man who had been holding her's clutches and knock him out. The one who had a hold of Nathaniel lets him fall to the ground and tries to rush the girl, but it appears that she hits something on her wrist. I don't have to wait long to find out as the man is hit by a pair of hooks that are attached to wires. I hear a humming noise and realize that she just used a TASER on the bastard. Huh, I need to get myself one of those... As I watch this fight, I almost completely forget about my own until I realize that I am almost completely surrounded, but at least the girl and Nathaniel will be okay now. I raise the bear mace to defend myself, but it isn't necessary after I hear a voice.

"Well now, what do we have here?" someone asks from behind me. The remaining men turn white, as though they had seen a ghost, and back off, running away like the cowards they must truly be.

I peer behind me to identify my rescuer, and while I am speechless for a moment upon realizing just who it is, the girl who resembles me is not and addresses the person, "You're late, Val."

'Crazy' Val? She scared off these gangsters? And here I thought she was just a, well, 'crazy' drunk, if Homecoming was anything to go by. Maybe I was wrong about her, but then again, she was under the influence of alcohol last time, so it would've been hard to analyze her completely. Hopefully this time, she won't randomly decide that Nathaniel and I should be together and well... let's just say I don't want a repeat of what happened between me and Lysander at Homecoming. That would be bad.

Val helps Nathaniel to his feet and then comments, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Lu, but my headset was malfunctioning, so I had no idea what was going on here until the sounds of fighting started coming in."

Wait, 'Lu'? She can't surely mean... Lucien? Lucien's... a girl? As if reading my mind, the girl who resembles me pushes a button on her glasses, which causes the lenses to turn dark, and then she removes the wig that when coupled with the dress she wears, made her look like me from behind. She runs a hand through her dark gold locks, and smiles, confirming, "Yes, I'm Lucien. Yes, that's my actual name, and yes, I am female. As for the rest, let's talk more after we go to the police station to get you two briefed on the circumstances tonight as well as to get the both of you checked out for any injuries. Val, I'm trusting that you can take Nathaniel and Amy back there for their briefing, and I'll meet you three there after I drop off these fellows here with the help of the rest of the team."

"Yep, I'll take good care of 'em!" Val winks as she holds out her hand towards Nathaniel, who reluctantly hands her the keys to his car. "Thank you!" she squeals as she leads us to Nathaniel's silver, slightly beat up Jaguar XJ, unlocks the doors, and hops in the driver's seat, a maniacal gleam in her eyes. Nathaniel and I glance at each other, wondering what horrors will be in store for us as we get into the back seat and buckle up.

We take off at what must be a million miles an hour, and despite the seat belts, I am still flung into Nathaniel, whose gripping the handle above the door for dear life. "Sorry!" I yelp while clinging to his frame, hoping that I won't get jostled around as much this way. I notice Nathaniel's face turn bright red, probably flustered about the proximity, but he uses his free hand to hold my waist and keep me steady. Noticing us in the rear view mirror, Val roars with laughter at our predicament before changing the radio station and turning up the volume so that punk rock music is blasting our tortured bodies with sound that could shake our very souls. By some miracle though, we are able to survive the 'what should be fifteen minutes but Val decided to make it five' drive. The second that Val maneuvers the car into a parking space, tires squealing and the strong smell of burning rubber lingering in the air, and turns off the engine, Nathaniel and I immediately unbuckle and bail out of the car as though our lives depended on it.

"Oh, my god, I thought I was going to die," I almost kiss the ground in thankfulness as we enter the police station. I decide that _never _under _any _circumstances will I want to get in a car where Val is the driver _ever _again. I think I would feel safer in the back of a race car at the Indy 500! At least those drivers are trained to drive at such a high speed! Nathaniel looks blue in the face, so I ask, "Um... are you going to be okay?"

He groans, but answers, "Yes, I think I'll be okay. I'm just trying to tell myself this is all a nightmare and I'll be waking up shortly."

"Is it working?" I question nervously. I feel terrible enough already for what he's gone through because of me.

"...No," comes his strained response. "After chasing, well, Lucien, I guess, since I was concerned about her safety when those guys were dragging her away from the theater, I was noticed by said thugs and nabbed to use as a bargaining chip for whatever it is they were wanting out of her. I can still feel the pain from that, so there's no way that this is just all a figment of my imagination. Especially after that car ride. Val really will live up to her name if she thinks that I'll allow her to drive my car again."

"Tell me about it. She's going to have to drag my cold, lifeless body into a car if she thinks she's going to drive me around anytime soon. Anyways... I'm... sorry," I apologize as we sit down, waiting for a doctor to come evaluate us. "You got involved in all this because of me, and that car ride probably didn't help the injuries you received."

"Thanks for your concern," Nathaniel weakly smiles. He cringes as he holds his side with one hand, and I wonder if perhaps he had broken a few ribs. I am about to ask him but he continues our conversation before I get a chance to interject. "You know, I already knew that Lucien, despite being dressed like that, was not you, and I wanted to ensure that she would be okay. She looked like she was in trouble, so I responded. That's all. If it really had been you, I'd do the same." Surprisingly, I am comforted by his words, though I'm still not quite sure that what he stated about realizing that he knew Lucien wasn't me was the truth. He's probably just trying to put me in a better mood, but I can't say that I'm not happy that he cares enough to do so. With all the stress on me that is already there and all that is sure to come when I confront Debrah, knowing that Nathaniel wants me to be happy gives me the hope that perhaps, once everything is over, and Lucien explains exactly what has happened, I could just be a normal girl, not this... mess.

* * *

The doctor eventually comes by and while he patches up Nathaniel, since I have sustained no injuries, I am immediately taken to what must be an interrogation room. Lucien is sitting there already, back in her guise as a boy.

"Go ahead and take a seat," she tells me as she pulls a file out of her briefcase. I do as she says, taking a seat across from her and then studying her features more in depth. The only time I had a chance to actually see her eyes was earlier in the evening, and she still has her glasses in a dark glasses mode though we're indoors. I wonder if they are for prescription or just part of disguising herself, though she obviously doesn't like people staring at them or else she wouldn't keep them hidden as much. Knowing I cannot make an analysis in my usual way, I instead focus on her facial structure and the little things she does, like how she's biting her lip, drawing blood, much like how I do when I'm nervous, and fiddling with the corner of the folder ever so slightly. By taking a closer look at her, it really is more evident that she'd be, well, I guess my half sister. My mother and her mother were different, after all, with mine being, I would guess, from Japan, if her last name, the one I had claimed earlier as my own, said anything about my heritage. I didn't look all that Asian, and it was obvious that Lucien wasn't, so our dad is probably Caucasian. Judging by Lucien's wardrobe and gadgets that I've seen so far, he must really be a rich man. Considering that Lucien appears to be around my age, I highly doubt that she would be working a job that would net her even half what all those things would cost. If our father really is as wealthy as I believe him to be, what sort of trouble could I be in?

I gulp as Lucien speaks up, "Is there any food or drink you'd like to order before we start? Our discussion might last a while, so it'd be best if you got something beforehand."

"Um, just some water, I guess. I'm still kind of full from the theater," I reply. Mentally, I also add in, 'And Val would have made me lose my appetite anyways'.

Lucien makes a request for me, and a few minutes later an officer brings me some water. Lucien and I thank him before he retreats back into the main office before we turn back to each other.

"Well, uh, shall we get started?" I question, though part of me dreads what the story may be.

"Yes, I suppose we should," she sighs as she leans back in her chair. "Sit back and relax, because we've got a lot to cover."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Finally, some spare time just for myself to edit away! Despite yesterday's nearly 50 degree weather, today there's a ridiculous amount of snow forecast and so I'm off work for once, and as for school, their server is offline, not that I'm complaining! It's been a very hectic week with a lot of deadlines and such regarding MT on top of all of that, but speaking of MT, and this is the announcement I mentioned I would be making: the first book's current release date has been set to April 16 of this year if we can finish working out the last few kinks by then. More than likely, it'll only be available digitally at first, but later, we're planning a hard copy version. Because of this, I will not be able to be on here as much, but I definitely won't be gone for as long as I was when my laptop died. More than likely, I'll only be able to get on and work once a week, though any messages I receive I'll try to respond back to ASAP. In anticipation of this, I'll try to get out another chapter today to ensure you guys aren't just left hanging.

Back to ATR, I hope that at least some of you were surprised by the revelation made in this chapter! For those who are curious, the Halloween party chapter is still coming up, but we still have a bit of a ways to go before hitting it due to some revisions I've made recently.

On another note, most of you have probably noticed, but ATR has hit 100 reviews! It really means a lot to me that so much of you care and support my work. In light of this and as my way of giving back to you guys, from here on out, I'm going to be holding a bit of a competition: for each 25 reviews, so in other words, the next one is at 125, the person who hits that number (and I'll be sure to notify the individual in question) gets to make a suggestion to me about ATR. As long as the suggestion makes sense (if it doesn't I'll explain in a PM to that person why it doesn't and they can make a different suggestion) I'll work to meet the suggestion in a later chapter. For example, if the 125th person wants to see a school sanctioned winter festival to occur, I'll have this winter festival occur in the story when it comes to that time of the year in the story. In any case, I'll give more details on this if you happen to be the lucky person who hits it, so I wish you all the best of luck!

As always, thank you to my readers and the reviewers of the last chapter: Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy, Exactlyamanda, Hope's Last Stand, and SageHope. For all of you who play the French version, I recommend you play episode 17, as it just came out and is amazing. Until next time!


	20. Chapter 19: Behind Closed Doors

**Chapter 19: Behind Closed Doors**

**Lucien's POV**

The room is tediously quiet, save for the electrical hum of the lights overhead. Everything comes down to this moment. How do you tell someone that you're sorry? For the sins that I have committed, I will have to apologize to her someday, but I don't know how. I have never been good with words, and yet, here is my younger sister, looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to tell her the story of her life. Though what I must say to her is something that she needs to hear, some parts of it I still don't want to bring up. To do so would be to admit that it all happened, and I'm not ready for that yet. Will I have to tell her eventually? Yes, I probably will, but for now, I'd like to keep some of it to myself. There are some things that are better left unheard, better unsaid, and as each second ticks by, I know Amy's curiosity is only growing. I clear my throat, take a deep breath, and dive head first into the whole account.

* * *

**Approximately 10 Years Previously, Lucien's POV**

_Those two were at it again, arguing in a way reminiscent of the Hatfields and McCoys, minus all the guns and physical stuff, of course. It was a wonder that the entire block didn't know about the whole affair._

_Everything began a while ago, before I had been born, when Father had just become the head of the family business, the Alexander Corporation, or Aleco, as it sometimes is abbreviated, dedicated to making technology beyond your wildest dreams possible. He had been in Japan, holding meetings with several clients, and in the midst of all that, he fell in love._

_Sayaka Kurokawa was a young maid who worked at the hotel Father was staying at. Though Genevieve, Father's second wife, always refers to her as "that Jap harlot", I highly doubt that Miss Kurokawa had been anything of the sort. From what I had heard of her, she was the daughter of a US Army man stationed in Okinawa and a local woman. Sayaka had taken her mother's surname in order for it to be easier on the people she encountered, but while she was viewed as being a Japanese woman through and through by any foreigner, she was still considered an outsider by her people, for she, being only half Japanese, did not quite look the part. Her job as a maid was strictly cleaning rooms, not really customer service. Anyways, she obviously fell in love with Father. Though they could not marry because he knew that his family would not approve of it, he still brought her back to the United States, a country where she had citizenship as a dual citizen, and he kept her as a mistress in a town house that he paid for. They considered themselves married, in their own minds, I believe, so within a year or so, the two of them had a son, that being Abel._

_The following year was not an altogether happy one. Father was forced to marry my mother because of "politics", as they call it. The two of them were civil towards each other, but their marriage was more like a mutual agreement between acquaintances rather than a bond between lovers. My mother became pregnant with me, as part of one of their "formalities". She died in childbirth, and Father changed because of it, though his secret family had no clue and lived in ignorant bliss. After all, Sayaka was pregnant with their daughter, so things couldn't have been better. To fulfill Father's wishes of my being a boy, all those who knew that secret were... taken care of, as he put it, and I was raised as though I were his son._

_Years passed, and Father had to remarry last year, again on his family's wishes. He married a prominent society woman, that being Genevieve, the bane of the Alexander children's existence. She found out about Father's dual life, and insisted on relocating his two illegitimate children to the main house in order to have them locked up, in a sense, so that they might not be found by the public. "It would surely ruin our reputation," as she would say. He resisted the idea for quite some time... until that day._

* * *

**Present Day, Lucien's POV**

As I finish up on the story of her origin, I reflect on those days and what I hadn't told Amy. I couldn't tell her about my life back then, how often I, even though I was only seven at the time, would be given corporal punishment if I so much as looked at someone wrong. For quite a while, things had gotten so bad that I had been mute, and though it aggravated Father even more, saying nothing was still better than saying something when your words are never even heard. Amy was so lucky to have people who cared surrounding her. I simply did not. Would my own mother have loved me if she had survived childbirth? I highly doubt it. Being a female, by normal standards, I could not inherit, so she would have seen me as a failure. Father certainly did, and he made sure I knew that too. 'All you are is a failure.' How many times have I heard those words spoken about me, and how many times have I agreed with them? Even now, there are days when I wake up, scarred body aching as though the wounds were still fresh, wondering what the point is for me to keep on living and if it would have been better if I chose to sleep for eternity in death's embrace.

The sound of Amy drumming her fingers on the desk forces me out of my stupor. I wonder how long have I made her wait for me to continue, and glance at my watch. It's almost 10:00 pm, and we have school in the morning. If I didn't continue right away, we'd be here all night. Knowing this, I sigh and launch back into the story, horrible incidents in my mind, but I only reveal to her the nicer parts and try my best to keep my own emotions at the time a secret.

* * *

**Approximately 10 Years Previously, Lucien's POV**

_"Lucien, you little brat!" Genevieve shrieks as she kicks me out of the way. "How many times have I told you not to eavesdrop on conversations not meant for your ears?"_

_I do not say anything to her, just give her what she refers to as 'the look'. 'The look' has a tendency to freak most people out, Genevieve included, and they typically will leave me alone afterwards._

_"Quit staring at me, you demon child! Were you not my husband's heir, I'd send you back into the depths of hell where you belong!" she huffs as Father enters the hallway._

_"Dear, shouldn't we be ready to greet our guests?" he asks her, offering her his hand, which Genevieve takes almost instantaneously, pulling a 180 degree personality change. Father turns, a steely glare trained on me as he orders, "Lucien, go to your room. Do not leave until you are called for."_

_The chiming of the doorbell resonates through the air, and knowing my place, I slip into my room as fast as I possibly can, not even bothering to turn on the lights. It wasn't like there's much to see in it anyways. The tones of strange voices are coming from the foyer, but I don't even dare to go investigate. I sit against the door in total darkness, and I try to turn my thoughts to the behemoth of a book I'm expected to read for my lessons. It seems to be working until I hear someone just outside my room._

_"So, dearest Father, what's in here?" a male asks, sarcasm dripping off his voice as he says the word 'dearest'. Apparently I'm not alone in my dislike for the one who sired me, but I don't think I'd ever be so blunt about it to his face. Sometimes privacy regarding one's feelings towards another is for the best. As I think this, I am nearly blinded by the hallway light streaming in as I fall backwards onto someone's feet._

_I find myself gazing into the violet eyes of a young man. He is startled, a flicker of surprise in his countenance as I get up off of the floor, brush myself off, and then turn to head back into my room. However, before I am able to do so, he halts me, placing a hand on my shoulder._

_Father is aghast at the situation, and if I had my voice and a trifle more courage, I'd find myself laughing at the irony of it, how he wanted to keep his two families still separated, and yet, of course, Fate intervened and led one of his beloved children to cross paths with the pathetic one who might as well have been made to live the life of a street urchin rather than the one inside the gilded cage, as it were._

_Meanwhile, a strange little smirk has graced Genevieve's face, and she sneers, "Well, aren't you going to introduce yourself, Lucien, or are you too shy? Cat got your tongue?"_

_There's a girl there a bit younger than me. Her eyes tell me immediately that she is my sister, but she doesn't seem to be aware of what's going on, as she questions, "Um, shouldn't Mom be here already?"_

_The boy hushes her before introducing himself, "So you're Lucien? I'm Abel, Abel Kurokawa."_

_"Alexander, not Kurokawa," Genevieve simpers, malice dripping from her voice like blood from the knife of Jack the Ripper._

_"Kurokawa," Abel insists. "Don't think that you can force your ideals on us just because Amaya and I are living here for now. I've had enough out of you for one day, and I've only known you for not even half an hour yet." He takes Amaya's hand and then mine, leading the two of us off. "We'll be in the library, if you don't mind, where at the very least there'll be some peace and quiet without your venomous verbiage. Good day."_

* * *

**Present Day, Lucien's POV**

"And there you have it, how we all met. From that day onward up until we parted ways, the three of us were constantly relying on each other for support," I conclude, hoping that she won't ask me to go more in depth about Abel. He and I were pretty close to each other, and he and Amy were close as well, but he would discuss different things with us. With Amy, it'd be happier topics, such as flowers she had seen when she took a walk in the garden, memories from living with their mother, and other trivial, yet lighter conversations. With me, we would only ever discuss one thing, something we were keeping a secret from Amy as best we could: the circumstances of her mother's death, and yet here I am, regretting my position but knowing that at the very least, I'll need to tell her about what happened afterwards. She had been kidnapped, for goodness sakes, because of the fallout from that event. Yes, I have to update her on what I know, but as for my speculations, they must not be voiced, lest I wind up putting her in any more danger by being correct in my assumptions. I open my mouth to give her the final portion of what she must know, but am interrupted by an officer walking into the room.

"Sorry to interrupt, sir," Jacobsen apologizes as she salutes me. "But there's a slight problem right now."

"All right... what's going on?" I question, several ideas running through my mind.

She hesitates, glancing over at Amy and then back at me, probably unsure of how the two of us might react, and with good reason, as she stammers out, "Y-your... um, well, your father, Mr. Alexander, just arrived at the front of the station, and he wants a word with the both of you."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Hope you're still hanging in there! I know, I thought that there was only going to be one chapter that was not in Amy's perspective, but I believe that revealing significant points in the past would best be shown through this perspective instead. I would like to know what your guys' thoughts on that is!

By the way this will be the only chapter I'll have up for this weekend, since I'll be leaving town in a few hours to visit family. I hope you all don't mind the wait and that the exposed secrets in this chapter are enough to tide you over for now. Oh, and on another note that I'm sure you all want to know, I have decided on a pairing at long last, though it won't be making an appearance until (a lot) later on what it is going to be. Of course, since I haven't planned out every last detail, it could still change in the time spent from now until when I really need to just incorporate it fully, which is why for now it is a secret as to what it is. After all, we've still got some guys to meet, and who knows, it might be one of them!

As always, a big thank you to all of my readers, and most especially to those who review, the reviewers of the last chapter being Bianca Bonami, binaryguppy, Exactlyamanda, and Gossip Girl. Hope to catch you all after the weekend!


	21. Chapter 20: Family Findings

**Chapter 20: Family Findings**

The second those words leave Officer Jacobsen's lips, the temperature in the room rises, the air stagnates, and I feel the back of my neck become frigid as beads of sweat form there. I look to my sister, whose fists are clenched so tightly that her knuckles have turned white and I'm surprised that she hasn't yet cut through a vein, with her nails digging into her palm and all. Lucien's father, the man who is also my father, is here? How could he have known that the both of us were having a rendezvous at this point, of all locations? But I'm elated to think that maybe, just maybe, he's been worried about me going missing and he only just now realized where I was. This is the man who's supposed to provide stability in my life as a parent. Since Mom's gone and Abel's probably too, he's all I have left really. I guess Lucien is family too, but it seems like she resents me at times... As she relayed the story of my life to me, she felt so devoid of emotions in her telling, and yet at the same time, there was something within her words regarding me that made her seem bitter. Perhaps all I really am is a burden to her. That's probably why she showed up in Amoris, after all. It's her responsibility since I'm younger than she.

I yearn to know what Dad is like. Abel seemed to loathe him, but I have no recollection of his actual self. Daughters are supposed to be closer to their fathers after all. If I have an ideal for what he's like, he'd have to be like Findlay. Despite all the obstacles he may face and the danger he might be in, he'd keep moving forward and try to do the right thing. I'm positive that he wants to be a good person for the sake of his children. Tata has done so much for me, and she's not even really related to me, though we both view each other as family. But really... to think my own dad would show up here and now! Ecstatic, I can barely restrain myself from screaming as I frantically race to get to the lobby where he must surely be.

The lobby is uncharacteristically busy, and in the confusion, I can't tell precisely which one is my dad. I panic, wondering if maybe I was just dreaming that last bit up, as my mind had been wandering as Lucien was regaling me with the little dreary details of history, and so maybe dad really isn't here, or maybe something happened which is why all these people are scrambling to do whatever it is they need to do, and so he had to leave without even letting me have the chance to speak with him. The cold glare of the fluorescent lights only makes things worse as they distract my eyes with their powerful rays of disorientation, and I only now realize that it must be almost or even past midnight by now. My head feels like it's spinning due to the ambiance of the room, and I really wish that there was a place where I could just lie down and take the time to gather my thoughts. However, such a thing would be a luxury, and of course, it's one that is not available to me right now.

In my daze, I find myself stumbling around before I finally crash into someone. Though my vision's hazy and I feel ill, I'm pretty sure that the person is mouthing my name before shouting something to others in the vicinity and then picking me up, carrying me outside. The frost laced air is a welcome comfort to my body, but the sudden cold sends me into a shock, making me mostly unaware of my surroundings as I'm placed onto what must be the back seat of a car before being strapped in, and taken away from the precinct. Vaguely, I feel the tingling heat of someone holding my hand, an act that calms me enough to drift into sleep's embrace.

* * *

Awakened by the melodies of birds from the outside, I find myself in a lovely queen sized bed, surrounded by stuffed animals, some of which are almost familiar to me. The only light in the room streams in from the ornate windows, though in examining them further, I realize that they are actually doors leading out to a balcony. Somehow, I manage to extricate myself from the covers and make my way to those doors, only to find them locked. I start to hyperventilate, wondering if despite the appearances, if this is all just an elaborate ruse to keep me willingly confined.

"Oh, so you're awake already!" I hear a voice chirrup from the other side of the room and find a girl about my age standing in a doorway carrying a tray of food. At least if she's working with the kidnappers, they must not want me to starve to death.

I rush over to her, grabbing her shoulders, almost making her drop the tray as I question, "Um, yeah, I'm awake now, but more importantly, where the heck is this place?" In hindsight, I'm a little worried about if she's going to construe my grabbing her as an attack and if she's going to pull a weapon on me or something, but it's too late now.

The commotion that I'm causing does not go unnoticed, and it's only a matter of seconds before a man appears behind the frightened girl as though he were a ninja. His presence alone causes me to release her and attempt to back off as fast as I can, but before I am able to find an escape, he smiles and offers me a hand.

"Ah, my dear Amaya, you're up and about already without a moment to lose! Come here, my girl, and give your father a hug! It's really been much too long since we've last seen each other!"

Dad? It's really him?! Without even the slightest hesitation, I forgo his hand and fling myself into his arms, clinging onto the back of his shirt as I am at last reunited with my own flesh and blood family. Though everything is so sudden, he does not seem to be fazed at all as he strokes my hair, conveying all his own emotions of fatherly love in just a touch. I can't help myself from speaking his title over and over again as the full impact of the moment hits me, how worried he must have been, how confused everything had made me, especially after those doubts that I had acquired from Lucien and Abel, how they were wrong, and how he really does care about my well being to the point where he would surround me with strangely familiar plushies and keep me in what must have been my room in order to provide a sense of security, especially if he doesn't know how much I _do_ remember. Of course he must know about my condition, as the police surely would have told him upon his arrival at the station. But of all things, for me to be here, home with my father at last!

"Amaya, stop that racket!" a curt woman's voice reaches my ears. "It's an embarrassment for one such as yourself especially when the staff is watching. You're lucky that you are privileged enough to be here in the first place, so act your age in a manner befitting your position!"

A cold shiver runs down my spine as I come to the realization of who that woman is. That's Genevieve, and even though it's only been the first few minutes of me being conscious for the first time since returning here, I've already upset her. Subconsciously, I hug Father even tighter, as though he might defend me from her wrath.

He doesn't disappoint, as he chides her, "Now, now, Genevieve, the poor child's been through a lot in the past month or so. Who can blame her for being overwhelmed by everything, especially when all our lifestyle is now foreign to her?" I smile to myself, making sure that she can't see it, at the idea that he really understands me and what I'm going through and is protective as a father should be.

"Hmph," I turn to take a look at her and she's pursing her lips in disgust. "At the very least, those rags that she's wearing just _have _to go. Such a filthy thing shouldn't even be allowed inside as anything other than a cloth for dust used by a cleaning lady."

Really? _That's _what she cares about right now? What a class A... shoot, Castiel's been rubbing off on me. But then again, when I see my stepmother, I see Debrah's face superimposed on her own, so I can't help but worry about what's going on now at... Shit! I'm missing school by being here! Ugh, and Nathaniel's still all bruised up from last night at the theater, so there's definitely going to be a flurry of rumors when I get back. I really don't need all of the added stress right now, especially when I still need to talk to Lysander about... Damn it! Why does everything have to happen just one after another? Surely I don't have _that _much bad karma, do I?

"Are you even paying attention?" Genevieve snaps me back to reality with her question. "Really, your commoner's blood is much more of an infection than I thought. But no worries, I'll soon fix that, as well."

_Commoner's blood? _Just who does she think she is throw out insults like that so casually? I retort back without thinking, "Well, it's better to be common, I'd think than to have bitchiness inbred in me due to the fallacies of upper class snobs like yourself."

The effect of my words is immediate as Genevieve's face goes sheer white. "You... you little brat! How ungrateful can you get? I've welcomed you into my home, am going to provide you with all the comforts of life, and this is how you repay me?"

"Father's home, not yours," I snarl. "Really, all the comforts of life? Sorry, but I'm not interested in what _you_ might have to offer. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get to school. My friends are probably worried sick, especially since the events of last night probably are public knowledge."

I make to leave, but am stopped by Father taking hold of me. "Wait, Amaya, please, I already called in to give you the week off, so take it easy. I was hoping you'd at least give living with us a try... even if it's only for this one week."

"One week? That'll be okay, but I do have a function I want to attend on Friday though..." I sigh, imagining all kinds of trouble that I might have to put up during this week thanks to Genevieve.

"Oh, something for Halloween? Don't worry about it, you still can go, it's not like we're holding you captive here, we're family!" Dad reassures me as he lets go of my wrist.

"Thanks, that makes me feel much better," I reply. "Do you mind if I explore the house today, just to get an idea of where everything is?"

"Go right ahead," he encourages. "It's much too large by your standards, I'm sure, considering where you've been living since your arrival in Amoris, so I'll feel more comfortable anyways knowing that you won't get lost later on if you have the grand adventure of looking around today!"

"All right, if you don't mind," I start to head towards the winding staircase to get to the first floor, but as I'm walking there, I catch the end of a sentence that Father's saying to my _beloved _stepmother.

"...And since you were complaining about Amaya's attire, Genevieve, tomorrow, you will take her shopping."

Tomorrow, shopping? With _her_?! Oh dear god, what have I gotten myself into? Suddenly, for the first time since I met my father, I feel a definite sense of dread creeping over me in anticipation of what is to come as I set off on an expedition into my past life.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Oh my gosh, I'm _so _happy to finally get to work on editing! I've been pretty sick recently due to stress so I apologize for taking longer. I hope you all have been doing well during my absence, and that you enjoyed this chapter! If all goes well, I'll be posting some more chapters in the next couple of days, but that's only if I'm feeling better.

A special thanks to all you who have stuck with me so far and to reviewers Bianca Bonami, Exactlyamanda, Gossip Girl, moriahlatham, Sage Hope, and Solitary Snowfall! Please remember that if you want one of your own OCs to appear in this fanfic, feel free to contact me with details via the private messaging system either on here or on the My Candy Love site. My username on there is erinyoukai, same as the one on here, however, I'll be changing my name on here soon to my name as a published author. Anyways, here's wishing you good health, and see you all next time!

~Ariana


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